Iran tensions: UK ambassador to Tehran called for ‘inappropriate’ behaviour after detention: Iran’s Foreign Ministry has said that Britain’s Ambassador to Tehran has been called to explain its ‘illegal and improper presence’ in anti-government protests.
Rob Mac Air has been summoned to the Foreign Ministry following his arrest on Saturday during anti-government protests over the fall of Ukrainian aircraft by Iranian forces.
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The Ambassador had insisted that he was participating in surveillance for the victims of the fatal plane crash when protests erupted, which led to his leaving.
The diplomatic row between London and Tehran threatens to escalate after the Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab’s decision to summon Mr Maker’s detention calls him.
Dozens of Iranian hard-liners have gathered outside the British Embassy, chanting “Death to England” while a Union Jack is burning and calling for the Ambassador to be expelled.
Mr Macaire tweeted on Sunday morning: “Can confirm I was not participating in any of the performances!” “#PS752 went to an incident advertised as a watchdog for victims of the tragedy.
“To be respectful is normal – some of the victims were British. I left after 5 minutes when some started chanting.
He added: “Detained half an hour after leaving the area. Arresting diplomats is undoubtedly illegal in all countries.
The quasi-governmental Tasneem news agency said he was one of the many arrested outside Amirkabir University on suspicion of organizing, instigating and directing radical actions.
The Foreign Ministry later stated on its Telegram channel that they were called to their ‘illegal and improper presence’ in the protests.
Iranian authorities are on standby for further demonstrations after the Revolutionary Guard mistakenly accepted Ukrainian jet shooting down shortly after taking over, killing all 17 people on board, including for Britain.
Earlier Deputy Foreign Minister Syed Abbas Araghchi said the police were unaware that Mr Mac Air was a diplomat when he was convicted as an “unknown foreigner”.
He said that Mr. Mac Air was released within 15 minutes once he was able to talk to him on the telephone and confirm that he was the Ambassador.
Richard Ratcliffe, the husband of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian mother who has been under house arrest in Iran since April 2014, said Mr. Macare’s arrest was a ‘terrible sign’ for us.
He told Sky News Sophy Ridge Show, “The arrest of the ambassador and the attempt to say ‘this is a foreign conspiracy, this is an event of British protest’ which the Iranian press TV put out is a terrible sign for us is.”
Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe is serving a five-year sentence on charges, which she strongly denies plotting to overthrow the Tehran government.
In an article for the Sunday Telegraph written before Mr. Macair’s arrest, Mr. Raab urged Iran to ‘come in with the cold’ and settle its differences with the West peacefully.
He said that the “diplomatic door to Azar” has been left to rule in Tehran so that its economy is “choking”.
He said Britain and its European allies still hope to revive the Iran nuclear deal, despite its insistence on US President Donald Trump that he was dead.
However, he said the Iranians should end their pursuit of nuclear weapons, not give up their support for terrorism and release foreign nationals held as “pawns in their nefarious diplomatic game”.
A few hours after the downing of Ukrainian International Airlines flight 652, Iran launched a series of ballistic missile strikes at US bases in Iraq in retaliation for the killing of its top commander, General Qasem Soleimani, by an American drone.
The missiles failed to cause any casualties, and Mr Trump indicated that they would respond by tightening sanctions rather than further military action.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry has said that Britain’s Ambassador to Tehran has been called to explain its ‘illegal and improper presence’ in anti-government protests.
Rob Mac Air has been summoned to the Foreign Ministry following his arrest on Saturday during anti-government protests over the fall of Ukrainian aircraft by Iranian forces.
The Ambassador had insisted that he was participating in surveillance for the victims of the fatal plane crash when protests erupted, which led to his leaving.
The diplomatic row between London and Tehran threatens to escalate after the Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab’s decision to summon Mr Maker’s detention calls him.
Dozens of Iranian hard-liners have gathered outside the British Embassy, chanting “Death to England” while a Union Jack is burning and calling for the Ambassador to be expelled.
Mr Macaire tweeted on Sunday morning: “Can confirm I was not participating in any of the performances!”
“# PS752 went to an incident advertised as a watchdog for victims of the tragedy.
“To be respectful is normal – some of the victims were British. I left after 5 minutes when some started chanting.
He added: “Detained half an hour after leaving the area. Arresting diplomats is undoubtedly illegal in all countries.
The quasi-governmental Tasneem news agency said he was one of the many arrested outside Amirkabir University on suspicion of organizing, instigating and directing radical actions.
The Foreign Ministry later stated on its Telegram channel that they were called to their ‘illegal and improper presence’ in the protests.
Iranian authorities are on standby for further demonstrations after the Revolutionary Guard mistakenly accepted Ukrainian jet shooting down shortly after taking over, killing all 17 people on board, including for Britain.
Earlier Deputy Foreign Minister Syed Abbas Araghchi said the police were unaware that Mr Mac Air was a diplomat when he was convicted as an “unknown foreigner”.
He said that Mr. Mac Air was released within 15 minutes once he was able to talk to him on the telephone and confirm that he was the Ambassador.
Richard Ratcliffe, the husband of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian mother who has been under house arrest in Iran since April 2014, said Mr. Macare’s arrest was a ‘terrible sign’ for us.
He told Sky News Sophy Ridge Show, “The arrest of the ambassador and the attempt to say ‘this is a foreign conspiracy, this is an event of British protest’ which the Iranian press TV put out is a terrible sign for us is.”
Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe is serving a five-year sentence on charges, which she strongly denies plotting to overthrow the Tehran government.
In an article for the Sunday Telegraph written before Mr. Macair’s arrest, Mr. Raab urged Iran to ‘come in with the cold’ and settle its differences with the West peacefully.
He said that the “diplomatic door to Azar” has been left to rule in Tehran so that its economy is “choking”.
He said Britain and its European allies still hope to revive the Iran nuclear deal, despite its insistence on US President Donald Trump that he was dead.
However, he said the Iranians should end their pursuit of nuclear weapons, not give up their support for terrorism and release foreign nationals held as “pawns in their nefarious diplomatic game”.
A few hours after the downing of Ukrainian International Airlines flight 652, Iran launched a series of ballistic missile strikes at US bases in Iraq in retaliation for the killing of its top commander, General Qasem Soleimani, by an American drone.
The missiles failed to cause any casualties, and Mr Trump indicated that they would respond by tightening sanctions rather than further military action.
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