Outrage as flag-burning mob storms UK Embassy in Tehran

In actions condemned by the Foreign Office as “outrageous”, the mob, some of whom burned Union Flags, 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 program.

The protesters broke through after clashing with riot police and chanting for its takeover. “Death to England,” some cried in the first significant assault on a foreign diplomatic area in Iran in years.

The assault 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 Union Flag was replaced with a banner in the name of 7th century Shiite saint, Imam Hussein.

The occupiers 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.

Foreign Secretary William Hague warned Iran it faced “serious consequences” over the attack.

Protesters put the safety of staff at risk and caused “extensive damage” to property, he said.

Mr Hague said all embassy staff had been accounted for and played down suggestions of a hostage situation, saying there had been “confusing” reports coming out of the country.

Prime Minister David Cameron chaired a meeting of the Government’s Cobra security committee yesterday afternoon and the Iranian charge d’affaires was summoned to the Foreign Office.

Mr Hague said Iran had “committed a grave breach” of the Vienna Convention, which demands protection of diplomats and diplomatic premises under all circumstances.

He added: “We hold the Iranian government responsible for its failure to take adequate measures to protect our embassy as it is required to do.

“I spoke to the Iranian foreign minister this afternoon to protest in the strongest terms about these events and to demand immediate steps to ensure the safety of our staff in both embassy compounds.

“While he said he was sorry for what had happened and that action would be taken in response, this remains a very serious failure by the Iranian government.

“On our latest information it now appears that all our staff and their dependants are accounted for. We are urgently establishing the whereabouts of our locally engaged security staff to ensure their wellbeing.”

British nationals have been warned against “all but essential travel” to Iran and the small number in the country were told to stay indoors and await advice.

The rally outside the British Embassy – on a main street in Tehran – 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 as they clashed with police.

Less than two hours after the incident began police appeared to regain control of the site.

But the official IRNA news agency said about 300 protesters entered the British ambassador’s residence in another part of the city and replaced British flags with Iranian ones.

Last week the UK announced that it had severed all financial ties with Iranian banks in response to mounting fears over the country’s nuclear ambitions.

The move was part of a wider international effort by the United States and Canada to put pressure on the Islamic republic, which Western governments have accused of seeking to produce nuclear weapons for almost a decade.

Tehran denies that its programme is designed to produce anything but civil nuclear fuel.