U.S. President George W. Bush answers a question during a joint news conference with Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (not pictured) at Camp David in Maryland yesterday. - Xinhua/Reuters

U.S. President George W. Bush yesterday slammed Iran's detention of 15 British sailors as "inexcusable behavior" and voiced strong support for British Prime Minister Tony Blair to resolve the issue.

"It's a serious issue because the Iranians took these people out of Iraqi waters," Bush said after holding talks with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula de Silva.

"And it's inexcusable behavior and I strongly support the Blair government's attempts to resolve this peacefully," Bush said, adding that Iran must release the detained British sailors.

The Bush administration has repeatedly urged Iran to "unconditionally" release the British sailors.

The British team was seized on Friday near the Shatt al Arab waterway between Iraq and Iran. Tehran has insisted that the British made a blatant "incursion" into Iranian territorial waters.