A video grab taken from the Iranian television station Al-Alam TV shows (left to right) British sailor Nathan Thomas Summers, British servicewoman Faye Turney and an unidentified sailor sitting in an unidentified location. (Photo source: Xinhuanet/AFP)

The Iranian embassy in London released yesterday a third letter allegedly written by detained British sailor Faye Turney, saying she was "sacrificed" for the policies of the British and U.S. governments.

"I'm writing to you as a British serviceperson who has been sent to Iraq, sacrificed due to the intervening policies of the Bush and Blair governments," the letter said.

The letter, addressed to the British people, said she had been treated well, unlike the prisoners held at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.

"Whereas we hear and see on the news the way that prisoners were treated in Abu Ghraib and other Iraqi jails by the British and American personnel, I have received total respect and faced no harm," said the letter.

"It is now our time to ask our government to make a change to its oppressive behavior towards other people," it said.

The letter was alleged to have been signed by Turney, dated March 27.

According to Sky News, this letter was released a day after the second letter purportedly written by Turney, in which the woman sailor asked the representatives of the House of Commons to withdraw troops from Iraq.

British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett condemned Iran Thursday for releasing the second letter, saying it was "outrageous and cruel."

Downing Street also denounced the move as "cruel and callous."

Meanwhile, Iran state television released new footage of a British naval serviceman confessing to entering the Central Asian state's territory "without permission."

The footage showed Nathan Thomas Summers as saying, "I deeply apologize for entering your waters ... We trespassed without permission."

British Prime Minister Tony Blair condemned Iran for releasing such footage, saying the "parading and manipulation" of British service personnel would "fool no one."

Blair stressed that Iran would become increasingly isolated in the international community and had nothing to gain from continuing the situation.

A total of 15 British naval personnel were seized last Friday when they were patrolling the waters between Iraq and Iran. Iran insisted that the British boats illegally entered its territorial waters, but Britain said its soldiers were in Iraqi waters when they were seized.

The United Nations Security Council has called for an early resolution of the issue.