Foreign Secretary William Hague: "We require the immediate closure of the Iranian embassy in London"
Quote:
The UK is to expel all Iranian diplomats following the storming of its embassy in Tehran, Foreign Secretary William Hague has announced.
He said he had ordered the immediate closure of the Iranian embassy in London.
Tuesday's attack by hundreds of protesters followed Britain's decision to impose further sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme.
The sanctions led to Iran's parliament reducing diplomatic ties with the UK.
Mr Hague said he was demanding the immediate closure of the Iranian embassy in London, with all its staff to leave the UK within 48 hours.
"If any country makes it impossible for us to operate on their soil they cannot expect to have a functioning embassy here," Mr Hague told MPs.
He said there had been "some degree of regime consent" in the attacks on the embassy and on another UK diplomatic compound in Tehran.
He said all UK diplomatic staff in Tehran had been evacuated and the embassy closed.
Mr Hague said relations between the UK and Iran were now at their lowest level, but the UK was not severing relations with Tehran entirely.
Addressing parliament, Mr Hague said he was due to raise the matter at a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels.
"We will discuss these events and further action which needs to be taken in the light of Iran's continued pursuit of a nuclear weapons programme," he said.
Iran's foreign ministry called the British move "hasty", state TV reported, according to Reuters.
It said Iran would take "further appropriate action".
Also on Wednesday, Germany, France and the Netherlands announced they were recalling their ambassadors to Tehran for consultation and Norway said it was temporarily closing its embassy there as a precaution.
Italian Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi said the Iranian ambassador to Rome was being summoned to give guarantees of security for Italy's mission in Tehran.
Hundreds of protesters - whom Iran described as "students" - massed outside the embassy compound on Tuesday afternoon before scaling the walls and the gates, burning British flags and a car.
Another UK diplomatic compound in northern Tehran, known locally as Qolhak Garden, was also overrun and damaged.
Iran said it regretted the incident, which it described as "unacceptable behaviour by a small number of protesters".
Mr Hague said the majority of those taking part had been members of a regime-backed Basij militia group.
He said the private quarters of staff and the ambassador had been ransacked, the main embassy office set on fire and personal possessions belonging to UK diplomats stolen.
The US, EU and UN Security Council also condemned the attacks.
Turbulent history
Relations between the UK and the Islamic Republic of Iran have been fraught since the Iranian revolution in 1979.
Wednesday's move brings bilateral relations to their lowest level since 1989 when ties were broken over Iran's declaration of a "fatwa" (edict) to kill the author Salman Rushdie.
Analysts have compared Tuesday's scenes in Tehran to the 1979 storming of the US embassy there. That ended with more than 50 US diplomats and staff being held hostage for more than 400 days.
The US and Iran have had no diplomatic ties since then - the Swiss embassy in Tehran serves as the protecting power for US interests in the country.
Last week the US, Canada and the UK announced new sanctions against Iran, including measures to restrict the activities of the Iranian central bank.
The UK said then it was severing all financial ties with Iran.
The move followed a report by the UN's nuclear watchdog (IAEA) that said Iran had carried out tests "relevant to the development of a nuclear device".
Iran denies the accusations, saying its nuclear programme is solely for peaceful purposes.
On Sunday, Iran's parliament voted by a large majority to downgrade diplomatic relations with the UK in response to the recent action.
Iran's parliament speaker, Ali Larijani, says Iranian police attempted to stop the attacks
New pictures have emerged of offices at the British embassy being searched by protesters
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UK warns Iran after embassy stormed (29 November 2011)
President Obama: "This is an indication that the Iranian government is not taking its international obligations seriously"
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UK Prime Minister David Cameron has warned Iran of "serious consequences" after protesters stormed the British embassy and a UK compound in Tehran.
Offices were ransacked and flags burned in the attacks, which followed a demonstration against sanctions imposed on Iran over its nuclear programme.
Mr Cameron described the attacks as "outrageous and indefensible".
The US and EU also condemned the attacks. Iran's foreign ministry expressed "regret" for the incidents.
The demonstrations followed a vote in Iran's parliament to reduce diplomatic ties with Britain in retaliation for imposing further sanctions.
'Dangerous situation'
Mr Cameron said the failure of the Iranian government to defend British staff and property was "a disgrace".
He said all British staff and their dependents had been accounted for and he praised Britain's ambassador to Iran, Dominick Chilcott, for handling a "dangerous situation with calm and professionalism".
"The Iranian government must recognise that there will be serious consequences for failing to protect our staff. We will consider what these measures should be in the coming days," he added.
US President Barack Obama said he was "deeply disturbed" by the attack.
"That kind of behaviour is not acceptable, and I strongly urge the Iranian government to hold those who are responsible to task," he said.
Germany, France and the EU also condemned the attack.
Hundreds of protesters - whom Iran described as "students" - had massed outside the embassy compound before scaling the walls and the gates.
A car was set alight, windows were broken, offices wrecked and paintings and other items dragged outside and dumped.
The students chanted "the embassy of Britain should be taken over" and "death to England".
Another UK diplomatic compound in northern Tehran, known locally as Qolhak Garden, was also overrun and damaged.
The occupations went on for several hours. By nightfall riot police had restored order and evicted the protesters.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry expressed "regret for certain unacceptable behaviour by a small number of protesters in spite of efforts by the police".
"The relevant authorities have been asked to take the necessary measures and look into this issue immediately," it said.
Correspondents say the protests were organised by pro-government groups at universities and Islamic seminaries. The demonstrations also marked the anniversary of the assassination of an Iranian nuclear scientist in Tehran, which many Iranians have blamed on the UK. British denies any involvement.
Diplomatic row
Last week the US, UK and Canada announced new measures targeting Iran over its controversial nuclear plans.
That followed a report from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that suggested Iran was working towards acquiring a nuclear weapon.
It said Iran had carried out tests "relevant to the development of a nuclear device".
For its part, the UK Treasury imposed sanctions on Iranian banks, accusing them of facilitating the country's nuclear programme.
On Sunday, Iran's parliament voted by a large majority to downgrade diplomatic relations with the UK in response to the British action.
Iranian radio reported that some MPs had chanted "Death to Britain" during the vote, which was approved by 87% of MPs.
Iran insists its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes only.
Protesters Storm UK Embassy in Tehran, Iran. (29 November 2011)
Protesters in the Iranian capital, Tehran, have broken into the UK embassy compound during a demonstration against sanctions imposed by Britain.
Militant students are reported to have ransacked offices, burned the British flag and smashed embassy windows.
The move comes after Iran resolved to reduce ties following the UK's decision to impose further sanctions on it.
Iran expressed "regret" over the attack on the embassy. The Foreign Office has summoned an Iranian diplomat in London.
British Prime Minister David Cameron said: "The attack on the British embassy in Tehran today was outrageous and indefensible."
He said those responsible for the attack must be prosecuted.
"I spoke to our Ambassador this afternoon and was reassured that everyone has been accounted for," Mr Cameron added.
UK Foreign Secretary Hague said the Iranian charge d'affaires had been summoned, adding: "Clearly there will be other, further, and serious consequences."
The Foreign Office urged Britons in Iran to "stay indoors, keep a low profile and await further advice".
The Iranian Foreign Ministry expressed "regret for certain unacceptable behaviour by a small number of protesters in spite of efforts by the police".
"The relevant authorities have been asked to take the necessary measures and look into this issue immediately," it said.
The students clashed with riot police and chanted "the embassy of Britain should be taken over" and "death to England".
Students were said to have ransacked offices inside the building, and one protester was reported to be waving a framed picture of Queen Elizabeth II.
Iran's semi-official Mehr news agency said embassy documents had been set alight. Staff fled by the back door, the agency added.
Pictures showed a car inside the compound on fire while several hundred other demonstrators were gathered outside the embassy's walls.
A separate group of protesters also broke into another British embassy compound in the north of the city, the UK Foreign Office confirmed. It was not clear how much damage was done there.
Tear gas
After about two hours, police were back in control of the main embassy building. Live TV footage showed riot police removing protesters.
Security forces fired tear gas, the semi-official Fars news agency reported. It said some protesters and police had been injured in the clash.
Eventually, both compounds were cleared, Iranian media reported.
There was strong international reaction to Tuesday's events.
The 15-nation UN Security Council - which has passed four rounds of sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme - condemned the attack "in the strongest terms".
US President Barack Obama said he was "deeply disturbed" by events in Tehran.
"I strongly urge the Iranian government to hold those responsible to task," he added.
Germany also summoned its Iranian ambassador over the storming of the British embassy - in which a German school was also damaged.
Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle called it "a violation of international law".
French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said "the Iranian regime has shown what little consideration it has for international law".
Russia said the attack was "unacceptable".
Nuclear row
Last week the US, UK and Canada announced new measures targeting Iran over its controversial nuclear plans.
For its part, the UK Treasury imposed sanctions on Iranian banks, accusing them of facilitating the country's nuclear programme
That decision followed a report from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that suggested Iran was working towards acquiring a nuclear weapon.
It said Iran had carried out tests "relevant to the development of a nuclear device".
Iran insists its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes only.
On Sunday, Iran's parliament voted by a large majority to downgrade diplomatic relations with the UK in response to the British action.
Iranian radio reported that some MPs had chanted "Death to Britain" during the vote, which was approved by 87% of MPs.
Guess this means we're not friends with Iran anymore..Oh well, not like they actually make or do anything for anybody. But seriously, if I was state side, I would probably burn a Iranian flag, because the Chinese made it.
Guess this means we're not friends with Iran anymore..Oh well, not like they actually make or do anything for anybody. But seriously, if I was state side, I would probably burn a Iranian flag, because the Chinese made it.
who knows, maybe another war, uk/us/israel vs lebanon/iran
There's been almost half-century of popular hatred against Britain by Iranians. The UK is seen as the mother of conspiracies in Iran and responsible for everything from the corruption of the Qajar Shahs to the installation of the 2nd Pahlavi Shah. I don't know when the blame game will end but Britain is seen to be a source of many of Iran's historical problems by hardliners.