Tense situation between London and Tehran. Iran admitted on Sunday (January 12th) that it had briefly arrested British ambassador to the country, Rob Macaire, "as an unidentified foreigner in an illegal rally," according to Iranian deputy foreign minister Abbas Araghchi. The latter added that the diplomat was released 15 minutes after he identified him by phone.
After his brief arrest, the British ambassador to Tehran was summoned to the Iranian foreign ministry on Sunday. "I did not take part in any demonstration (...). I left the place after five minutes when some started to launch slogans" against the authorities, had indicated before Rob Robaire on Twitter.
Iranian protesters also burned a British flag on Sunday afternoon in front of the British embassy, AFP journalists said. "Death to Britain", "Death to the United States", "Death to Israel" chanted just under 200 protesters, some of whom burned a British flag with an Israeli flag.
The Islamic Republic had admitted responsibility for the Ukraine Airlines flight crash on Saturday - a confession that sparked outrage in the country. Saturday's rally in Tehran where Ambassador Rob Macaire was, initially a vigil in memory of the victims, turned into anger.
"Temporary detention" condemned by several countries
"The arrest of our ambassador in Tehran without foundation or explanation is a flagrant violation of international law", reacted the British Minister for Foreign Affairs overnight. Dominic Raab also believed that Iran should choose between "its march towards a pariah status" or "take measures for de-escalation and to embark on the diplomatic path".
The head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, also criticized Tehran after the "temporary detention" of the British ambassador and called for "de-escalation" in a tweet.
In a statement, Paris for its part called on the Iranian authorities to comply with their "obligations under international law" while Berlin condemned the arrest on Twitter, described as "an unacceptable breach of international law".
Earlier, US President Donald Trump had warned Tehran against "another massacre of peaceful demonstrators", in reference to the protest movement in Iran in November, violently repressed according to the NGO Amnesty International.
Iranians gathered again on Sunday, notably in Tehran, to castigate the authorities after the Ukrainian Boeing crash, according to videos posted on Twitter.
"They are lying! Our enemy is not America, it is here!" Chanted protesters gathered around a university in Tehran in one of these videos, the authenticity of which could not be verified. Demonstrations are also said to have taken place in other cities in Iran.
Iranian newspapers paid tribute to the people killed in the crash, which killed 176 people, on Sunday. "Apologize, resign," headlined the reformist daily Etemad. "Unforgivable," wrote Iran, the pro-government newspaper. "Deep apologies for a painful mistake," said Javan, a newspaper close to the Revolutionary Guards.
With AFP and Reuters
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