LONDON, March 31 (UPI) -- Terry Waite, the British social activist who spent years as a hostage in Lebanon, has offered to help with negotiations for the release of 15 sailors.
Waite told Sky News he would try to visit the sailors to reassure their families and friends.
"At the moment we seem to be getting into a situation that's building up into a greater and greater crisis," Waite said. "What I would be quite prepared to do is go out there purely as a humanitarian, I've had no discussion with the Foreign Office or anyone."
Waite went to Lebanon in 1987 as an emissary of the archbishop of Canterbury to negotiate with Islamic Jihad for the release of four hostages. He was tricked by the group and spent four years in captivity.
He told Sky News that Iran "has been vilified" and that a "sensible face-to-face" discussion with respect for the Iranian point of view might help Britain and Iran find a solution to the crisis.
