British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Thursday that the British people are not deceived by Iran’s theatrics involving the captive British marines. Iran released 15 British marines Thursday after they were held captive for several days; Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called their release “a present to the British people.”

During their captivity, the marines appeared on Iranian TV praising their captors for their good treatment, and confessing to trespassing on Iranian territorial water. British officials expressed anger at the confessions, saying that they were coerced, in violation of the Geneva Convention. Shortly before their release, the marines were filmed with Ahmadinejad, and were heard thanking him for his forgiveness and kindness.