That didn't take long

Just a few hours after I make my predictions as to the outcome of the UK-Iran standoff, we get to check them in the happiest way possible: Comparing them to the actual release. This from the BBC:

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says 15 British naval personnel captured in the Gulf are free to leave. ...

He repeated allegations that the Britons were captured in Iranian waters, and awarded medals to the Iranian commanders responsible for detaining them. ...

"We have every right to put these people on trial," Mr Ahmadinejad asserted.

"But I want to give them as a present to the British people to say they are all free." ...

The Iranian leader said no concessions had been made by the British government to secure the releases, but that Britain had pledged "that the incident would not be repeated".

So let's see how I did. I said:

The crew gets released in exchange for some kind of statement out of London ... that Iran can say is an apology and an admission but the UK can say is not.... Maybe the five Iranians get released, although I doubt it.... If they are released, I expect there'll be a delay, some way to as least strike the pose that the two events are not related.

Well, no statement from London, instead - clever! - an amnesty from Iran. While not the exact means I suggested, it still has the net effect of resolving the immediate situation while allowing each side to maintain they were right. Face gets saved all around. And the other five Iranian prisoners, the ones grabbed by the US in January, were not released - but apparently Iranian officials were given access to them for the first time, so maybe something is afoot there.

So how'd I do? I'd say pretty damn good, frankly. Hooray for me!