Iran to put UK embassy staff on trial

3 Jul 2009, 9:37 pm   -   Source: AAP
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Police outside the British embassy in Tehran. (AAP)

Police outside the British embassy in Tehran. (AAP)

Iran's powerful Guardians Council said that some British embassy staff arrested for allegedly playing a role in post-election violence will be put on trial.

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The head of Iran's powerful Guardians Council said on Friday that some local British embassy staff will be put on trial for their alleged role in stoking post-election violence.

"In these incidents, their embassy had a presence, some people were arrested. Naturally they will be put on trial, they have made confessions," Ahmad Jannati said at Friday prayers in Tehran.

The British government says seven of nine local staff originally arrested by the Iranian authorities have now been freed.

Iran has accused Britain of manipulating the violent protests following the disputed election of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, allegations rejected by London.

Britain is "concerned" and is seeking clarification about Iran's announcement that local staff working at the British embassy in Tehran will face trial, the Foreign Office said on Friday.

"We are concerned and we are checking the reports," a spokeswoman said. "Allegations that our staff were fomenting unrest are wholly without foundation.

"We will be seeking an urgent explanation from the Iranians."

Prime Minister Gordon Brown's Downing Street office also expressed concern.

Iran accused the embassy employees of instigating riots in the unrest that erupted over the disputed re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, which his rivals said was fraudulent and marred by widespread irregularities.

Britain has rejected the allegations against the embassy as baseless.

Jannati, who is close to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and a strong Ahmadinejad supporter, said the country's "enemies" had been plotting a "velvet revolution" in the Islamic republic.

He said the Foreign Office had predicted "street riots" around the June 12 election and that it had warned its nationals to stay away from public places.

Khamenei described Britain, which has long had turbulent relations with Iran and a long history of mistrust, as the "most evil" of its enemies.

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