The Wire

Tensions in the Middle East remain high, following the arrest of 15 British sailors and marines off the coast of Iran on the weekend. The navy personal are to be charged with spying, a particularly serious offense under Iranian law, punishable by death. Relations were already strained between the West and Iran over the Iranian nuclear program, and with certain American pundits calling for invasion now, US analysts are predicting a second conflict in the gulf. According to US based author and freelance Middle Eastern correspondent Reese Erlich, there are questions as to what happened, and where. The answers to which, could prevent the incident escalating further.