Faye Turney, 26, the only woman amongst the British navy personnel seized by Iran, appears in this image made from television, in footage broadcast by Al-Alam, an Arabic-language, Iranian state-run television station, in Tehran, Wednesday March 28, 2007. Wearing a white tunic and with a black headscarf draped loosely over her hair, Turney said 'Obviously we trespassed'. [AP]

Iran may delay the release of the female British sailor if Britain takes the issue to the UN Security Council or freezes relations, the country's top negotiator Ali Larijani said Thursday.

The Foreign Office in London, meanwhile, said Britain is seeking condemnation of Iran at the United Nations.

Speaking on Iranian state radio, Larijani said: "British leaders have miscalculated this issue." If Britain follows through with its policies on the 15 British sailors and marines detained by Iran last week, Larijani said "this case may face a legal path" - a clear reference to Iran's prosecuting the sailors in court.

"There are some plans to say something on behalf of the United Nations (about the seized British military personnel) but they have not been finalized," said a Foreign Office official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was unauthorized to speak on the subject. Britain asked the Security Council to support a call for the immediate release of the detainees, saying in a statement Wednesday they were operating in Iraqi waters under a mandate from the Security Council and at the request of

Iraq, according to council diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity because the text was not released.

On Wednesday, Britain announced it was freezing relations with Iran.