Iranian protesters clash with riot police in front of the British embassy in Tehran yesterday. - Reuters

LONDON (Reuters):

Britain is in "direct bilateral communication" with Iran as it tries to win the release of 15 detained sailors and marines, Defence Secretary Des Browne said yesterday.

"We are anxious that this matter be resolved as quickly as possible and that it be resolved by diplomatic means and we are bending every single effort to that," Browne told BBC television.

"It's not my intention to go through the detail of that blow by blow, and it wouldn't be appropriate to do that, but we are in direct bilateral communication with the Iranians," he said.

Iranian protesters had earlier hurled stones and firecrackers at Britain's embassy in Tehran in a worsening crisis over 15 British naval personnel captured on March 23.

No one was hurt by the small explosive devices, which went off with loud bangs and sent clouds of smoke rising from inside the compound. About 100 demonstrators chanted: "British, British, death to you, death to you."

Demonstrators, who scuffled with police, included members of the Basij, a hard-line religious militia.

International criticism

Iran's capture of the sailors and marines has drawn international criticism but Tehran has ignored calls to release the 14 men and one woman, saying Britain must admit they illegally entered Iranian waters.

London insists they were in Iraqi territory when seized.

The row, at a time o Middle East tensions over Tehran's disputed nuclear programme, pushed oil prices last week to six-month highs. The West accuses Iran of trying to build nuclear bombs, a charge Tehran denies.

U.S. President George W. Bush on Saturday called on Iran to release the 15 at once. "The Iranians must give back the hostages. They're innocent," he said. "The Iranians took these people out of Iraqi waters. It's inexcusable behaviour."

Bush's use of the term 'hostages' evoked memories of the storming of the U.S. embassy in Tehran after the 1979 Islamic revolution and the holding of 52 Americans for 444 days. Washington broke off relations as a result.

Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, current holder of the European Union presidency, also demanded the sailors' release. Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki was quoted as saying on state television: "Iran is waiting for a change of behaviour by Britain and a balanced stance by this country over our legal demands."