Protesters in Tehran have stormed the British Embassy.
Iranian protesters have broken into the UK embassy compound during an anti-British demonstration, reports say.
Militant students are said to have removed the British flag, burnt it and replaced it with Iran’s flag. State TV showed youths smashing embassy windows.
The move comes after Iran resolved to reduce ties following the UK’s decision to impose further sanctions on it. The UK’s Foreign Office said it was “outraged ” by the actions.
It urged Iran to honour international commitments to protect diplomatic missions and their staff. The students clashed with anti-riot police and chanted “the embassy of Britain should be taken over” and “death to England”, AP reports.
Students were reported to be ransacking offices inside the building, and one protester was said to be waving a framed picture of Queen Elizabeth II.
Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency said documents from the embassy had been seized and set alight. Embassy staff fled by the back door, the agency added. Outside the embassy’s walls, several hundred other demonstrators were gathered.
TV footage showed Iranian riot police gradually clearing the protesters away from outside the embassy. The UK Foreign Office issued an angry statement urging Iran to quickly restore order.
“We are outraged by this. It is utterly unacceptable and we condemn it,” the statement said.
“Under international law, including the Vienna Convention, the Iranian Government have a clear duty to protect diplomats and embassies in their country and we expect them to act urgently to bring the situation under control and ensure the safety of our staff and security of our property”.
On Sunday, Iran’s parliament voted by a large majority to downgrade diplomatic relations with the UK after the UK Treasury imposed sanctions on Iranian banks the previous week, accusing them of facilitating the country’s nuclear programme.
Iranian radio reported that some MPs had chanted “Death to Britain” during the vote, which was approved by 87% of MPs.
Iran says its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes only.
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