News / International
Students Storms the British Embassy. burns the British flag
30 Nov 2011 at 04:52hrs | Views
TEHRAN, Iran ' Dozens of hard-line Iranian students stormed the British Embassy in Tehran Tuesday, bringing down the Union Jack flag and throwing documents from windows in scenes reminiscent of the anger against Western powers after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
The mob moved into the diplomatic compound two days after Iran's parliament approved a bill that reduces diplomatic relations with Britain following London's support of recently upgraded Western sanctions on Tehran over its disputed nuclear programme.
The protesters broke through after clashing with anti-riot police and chanting for its takeover. "Death to England," some cried in the first significant assault of a foreign diplomatic area in Iran in years.
There was no immediate word on casualties or how many embassy employees were inside at the time of the assault, although it occurred after business hours had ended. More protesters poured into the compound as police tried to clear the site.
Smoke rose from some areas of the embassy grounds and the British flag was replaced with a banner in the name of 7th century Shiite saint, Imam Hussein.
The occupier called for the closure of the embassy calling it a "spy den" ' the same phrase used after militants stormed the US embassy in Tehran in 1979 and held 52 hostages for 444 days. Washington and Tehran have no diplomatic relations since then.
The rally outside the British Embassy on a main street in Tehran downtown included protesters carrying photographs of nuclear scientist Majid Shahriari, who was killed last year in an attack that Iran blamed on Israeli and British spy services.
Outside the embassy, students from some universities and seminaries burned British flags on fire as clashing with police.
State TV reported that another group of hard-line students gathered at the gate of British ambassador's residence in northern Tehran, at the same time.
Tensions with Britain date back to the 19th century when the Persian monarchy gave huge industrial concessions to London, which later included significant control over Iran's oil industry.
But they have become increasingly strained as the West accuses Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons ' a charge Tehran denies.
In recent years, Iran was angered by Britain's decision in 2007 honour author Salman Rushdie with a knighthood.
Rushdie went into hiding after Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini issued a 1989 fatwa, or religious edict.
The mob moved into the diplomatic compound two days after Iran's parliament approved a bill that reduces diplomatic relations with Britain following London's support of recently upgraded Western sanctions on Tehran over its disputed nuclear programme.
The protesters broke through after clashing with anti-riot police and chanting for its takeover. "Death to England," some cried in the first significant assault of a foreign diplomatic area in Iran in years.
There was no immediate word on casualties or how many embassy employees were inside at the time of the assault, although it occurred after business hours had ended. More protesters poured into the compound as police tried to clear the site.
Smoke rose from some areas of the embassy grounds and the British flag was replaced with a banner in the name of 7th century Shiite saint, Imam Hussein.
The occupier called for the closure of the embassy calling it a "spy den" ' the same phrase used after militants stormed the US embassy in Tehran in 1979 and held 52 hostages for 444 days. Washington and Tehran have no diplomatic relations since then.
The rally outside the British Embassy on a main street in Tehran downtown included protesters carrying photographs of nuclear scientist Majid Shahriari, who was killed last year in an attack that Iran blamed on Israeli and British spy services.
Outside the embassy, students from some universities and seminaries burned British flags on fire as clashing with police.
State TV reported that another group of hard-line students gathered at the gate of British ambassador's residence in northern Tehran, at the same time.
Tensions with Britain date back to the 19th century when the Persian monarchy gave huge industrial concessions to London, which later included significant control over Iran's oil industry.
But they have become increasingly strained as the West accuses Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons ' a charge Tehran denies.
In recent years, Iran was angered by Britain's decision in 2007 honour author Salman Rushdie with a knighthood.
Rushdie went into hiding after Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini issued a 1989 fatwa, or religious edict.
Source - AP
