Iranian student hardliners stormed the British Embassy in Tehran Tuesday to protest the latest sanctions, and to demand the British ambassador’s immediate expulsion. Mehr News Agency initially reported that protesters took six of the embassy staff hostage in the residential compound, a report that Reuters tweeted, but Mehr’s report was quickly taken down. A Foreign Office spokeswoman said that the situation is “fluid.”
The students, chanting “Death to England!” and other slogans, hoisted the Iranian flag in place of the Union Jack, lit fires and scattered papers around the compound for at least an hour before riot police removed them. They also raided the residential compound, according to news reports, and have set cars on fire there.
Watch a video of the storming by students, said to be representatives of the paramilitary Basij organization:
In a statement, the British foreign office said that senior officials have urged Iranian authorities to “act with utmost urgency to ensure the situation is brought under control.” The office continued to describe the situation as fluid and said details were still emerging.
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from the EAWORLDVIEW:
UPDATE 1550 GMT: Looks like we may have some clarity on the earlier story of six employees held "hostage" --- Fars reports that these were the people escorted from the Embassy compound by diplomatic police. Alef is also confirming the exit of all British Embassy employees from the building.
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