UK embassy in Iran pelted

2005-09-28 18:09

Tehran - Hundreds of Iranian Islamists on Wednesday pelted the British embassy in Tehran with tomatoes, stones and firecrackers in response to mounting pressure on the Islamic republic's nuclear programme.

"Death to America, Death to Britain, Death to Israel," the university students chanted, also calling for the expulsion of Britain's ambassador to Iran, Richard Dalton.

Watched by dozens of police, they held aloft banners reading "Britain, France and Germany: Axis of Evil", and "NPT, we will leave you soon", referring to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Several windows were shattered by stone-throwers. The British embassy in Tehran has in recent years been regularly targeted by stone-throwers angered by Britain's participation in the United States-led invasion of Iraq.

Iran had been in talks with European negotiators Britain, France and Germany on providing guarantees the nuclear programme is only civilian, in exchange for a package of technical and economic incentives.

The International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) 35-nation board on Saturday passed a British-sponsored resolution criticising Iran for failing to come clean over its nuclear programme and paving the way for the issue to be referred to the United Nations security council.

The resolution was presented after Iran rejected demands it abandon all work related to uranium enrichment - which can be diverted to military purposes - and ended a total freeze on fuel cycle activities.

- AFP