An Iranian military source close to the Al-Qods Forces of Iran's Revolutionary Guards told the London daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat that the decision to abduct the British soldiers had been made at an emergency meeting of the Supreme Defense Council, in light of a report received from Al-Qods Commander Qassem Soleymani.

The source noted that on March 18, the decision had been passed on to armed forces chief of staff Hassan Firouz Abadi for execution.

In early March, the Revolutionary Guards intelligence apparatus submitted a plan to Iran's armed forces joint chiefs of staff for abducting a number of  U.S. and British troops, to be exchanged for Iranian officers and intelligence agents being held by the U.S., which Iran says total 15.

Source: Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, March 24, 2007