The issue seems to be pretty transparent, and there will likely be an exchange done pretty soon. If so, once again Iran will have learned a valuable lesson. It is O.K. to make a provocative move without fear of any repercussion.

Back to your question of if Ahmadinejad wants “to openly, brazenly and defiantly want to violate the Geneva Convention with sanctions and embargoes looming over his already poor populace.” He’s doing that with Iran’s nuclear program, or at least risking harming the Iranian populace. Why wouldn’t he do the same for another issue?

Then again, it’s hard to get a good read on the mind of Ahmadinejad. He has two split personalities; one that he parades around for the Western media and populace to see and the other where he freely calls for war and is as defiant as ever. It matters then, I think, what face he chooses to show once more pressure is placed upon Iran for the return of the British sailors.

Iran is still holding 15 British sailors hostage in Tehran, and it appears as if the sailors might be tried for espionage.

As per this post over at Captain’s Quarters:

The Iranians cannot try the men for espionage if they captured the sailors in uniform. Article 46 of the Geneva Convention states this clearly:

2. A member of the armed forces of a Party to the conflict who, on behalf of that Party and in territory controlled by an adverse Party, gathers or attempts to gather information shall not be considered as engaging in espionage if, while so acting, he is in the uniform of his armed forces.

Seems like Mahmoud is talking about of his arse again. Does he really want to openly, brazenly and defiantly want to violate the Geneva Convention with sanctions and embargoes looming over his already poor populace?