TEHRAN (AFX) - The Iranian government said that a group of British sailors had entered its waters at six different points before they were arrested, according to the official IRNA news agency.

"These 15 British troops in two boats... had entered and stayed in Iran's territorial waters at six points before they were arrested by the patrols," IRNA quoted an unnamed navy official as saying.

Iran has defied international calls to free the 15 sailors it seized in the northern Gulf on Friday for "illegal entry" into its waters while Britain has presented documents which it says shows they were in Iraqi waters.

"The coast guards have documented and filmed British forces violating international law," the Iranian official said.

"Their entry and stay in our waters is certain according to the information recorded on the British sailors' GPS." newsdesk@afxnews.com afp/jsa

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