Iran: British embassy staff 'played part in post-election protests' and will be tried

The head of Iran's Guardians Council has said that British embassy staff would be put on trial for inciting violent protests following the country's disputed elections.

 

By our foreign staff and agencies in Tehran
Published: 11:13AM BST 03 Jul 2009

Protesters at the British Embassy in Tehran: Anglo-Iranian relations are likely to deteriorate further in the months to come Photo: REUTERS

"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.

Downing Street said on Friday that it was "very concerned" about reports that the embassy staff would face trial and a spokesman for Prime Minister Gordon Brown said London was seeking urgent clarification from Tehran regarding the claims.

 

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Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, a top Iranian cleric, made the announcement in a prayer sermon on Friday.

Seven of nine local British embassy staff members originally detained by Iranian authorities have now been released.

Iran rounded up nine British embassy employees it accused of playing a role in organising pro-democracy demonstrations, that erupted over the disputed re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Ruling hardliners have condemned the protests as counter-revolutionary riots. At least one Iranian British Embassy employee remains in custody and has been accused of playing "a significant role" in formenting protests.

Britain has rejected the allegations as baseless and demanded the immediate release of the staff members still in detention.

EU nations are reportedly considering a proposal from Britain to recall all their ambassadors from Tehran in protest at the Iranian action.

Iran has threatened to pull out of talks with the EU on its suspect nuclear research, which is subject to United Nations sanctions, in protest against its demands for the embassy employees to be released.

At least 20 people were killed after disturbances broke out in the aftermath of Iran's disputed presidential election last month. Two thousand people are thought to have been arrested by the authorities. The result handed President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad a landslide re-election victory despite massive rallies for his opponents.

Mir-Hossein Mousavi (centre right) addressing supporters in Tehran a few days ago Photo: AP

The eight appear to have been arrested on suspicion of playing a role in pro-democracy demonstrations in the wake of the disputed presidential election. David Miliband, the British Foreign Secretary, responded immediately, calling for the prisoners' immediate release. "This is harassment and intimidation of a kind that is quite unacceptable. We want to see [them] released unharmed."

The Fars news agency said that the staff had help foment protests against the results of the June 12 election, which returned the hardline president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to a second term.

"Eight local employees at the British embassy who had a considerable role in recent unrest were taken into custody," Fars said. "This group played an active role in provoking recent unrest."

A relative of one of those detained said the staff member had disappeared: "He went out yesterday morning and I have been unable to reach him since his mobile phone is switched off. Since then I have had no news of his whereabouts."

Mr Miliband said: "We are still concerned about a number of them who to our knowledge have not been released ... The numbers are changing hour by hour. These are hard-working diplomatic staff and the idea that the British Embassy is somehow behind the demonstrations and protests that have been taking place in Tehran in recent weeks is wholly without foundation."

Mr Miliband said Britain had made a strong protest to the Iranian authorities and he would discuss the issue with European Union counterparts in Corfu who were due to discuss the post-election situation in Iran on Sunday. Tehran has placed Britain in the cross hairs of a campaign to blame foreign meddling for incitement of the post-election demonstrations. Supporters of dissident candidates, including Mir-Hossein Mousavi, a former prime minister, took to streets demanding a new election after allegations of vote rigging emerged.

Mr Mousavi has repeatedly rejected offers of a partial recount of ballots in a show of unprecedented defiance against the leadership. But the clerical regime has rebuffed popular pressure for a new election, instead turning the blame on foreign governments.

A hardline cleric, Ahmed Khatami, used the Friday prayers at Tehran University to elevate Britain to the first rank of villains in the Islamic Republic. "In this unrest, Britons have behaved very mischievously and it is fair to add the slogan of 'Down with England' to the slogan of 'Down with USA'," he said.

Iranian MPs lined up at the weekend to condemn British meddling in Iranian affairs. "The nation's tolerance for Britain's hidden and apparent policy of interference is over. The Iranian nation and its parliament could no more tolerate such behaviour. There would be a crushing response by Iran," Parviz Sarvari, an MP, told Fars.

Britain expelled two Iranian diplomats last week in retaliation for Tehran's decision to push out a second and third secretary in the British embassy. A day earlier spouses and family members of British diplomatic staff were withdrawn from Iran.

Manouchehr Mottaki, the foreign minister, warned Iran may downgrade ties with Britain.

Iran has also expelled the BBC correspondent in Tehran and arrested a British-Greek journalist, as well as a number of other British passport-holders it said were involved in rioting.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said last week's election demonstrated the majority of Iranians trusted the Islamic regime.

more photos »

Addressing a large crowd at Tehran University, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the historic voter turnout of 85 percent legitimized the Islamic system and had been a clear demonstration of the Iranian people's trust in the regime.

He rejected suggestions that fraud or cheating had been involved in President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's re-election, pointing out that the 11-million vote difference between Ahmadinejad and his principal opponent, Mir Hossein Moussavi, was too large to have been manipulated by vote-rigging.

Khamenei then directly addressed the people on the streets, telling them it was time to end their protests and pursue their grievances through the Guardian Council, which has already said it will recount some of the votes. Watch Khamenei dismiss claims of fraud »

And he made clear there would not be another election, warning that the consequences of any further violence or public disturbances would be borne by those responsible.

Analysts in Iran suggest this was Khamenei's way of sending a religious ultimatum to the people: Come off the streets, don't defy me and work out these problems through the legal system. Watch Amanpour discuss Iran »

Despite the political differences between the candidates, Khamenei stressed that all came from inside the establishment; in other words, none were plotting a revolution or a coup against the Islamic Republic. See where protests have taken place »

He also accused foreign governments of agitating against the Islamic Republic. Iranian television last night showed so-called "terrorists confessing" to being paid by the U.S. to come to Iran from Iraq and cause violence.

Khamenei welcomed the live television debates that had preceded the election, which he said had been vigorous and free with each candidate given a chance to put across his point of view.

But he did criticize some of the "emotion and insults" exchanged during the debates and rapped the knuckles of both President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad -- for criticizing former president Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani -- and his main opponent Mir Hossein Moussavi for what he called misrepresenting Ahmadinejad's record on the economy. Read about Iran's power structure »

This was a clear call from the man from whom all power flows in Iran and it will be interesting to see how the situation unfolds from here.

Iranian sources say they believe the real reformers -- Moussavi, former president Mohammad Khatami and others -- will listen to Khamenei and pull back to work out a new strategy and new tactics. One source warns that some radicals committed to fighting the regime may stay out on the street.

updated 32 minutes ago

Iran challenger vows to 'pay any cost'

President Ahmadinejad said he could not guarantee the safety of his rival, Mir Hossein Moussavi, pictured.

more photos »

"There is rule of law in this country and all the people are equal before the law," Ahmadinejad said when Amanpour asked if he would guarantee Moussavi's safety. She also asked why opposition leaders had been arrested.

"In a soccer match, people may become excited and there may be confrontation between the people and the police force. People who violate traffic regulations will be fined by the police no matter who he is. These are not problems," Ahmadinejad said.

When Amanpour asked a second time if Ahmadinejad would guarantee Moussavi's safety, he said he had already answered the question. Watch as Amanpour questions Ahmadinejad »

There were conflicting reports on whether Moussavi had been placed under house arrest.

Some reports indicated that he had been detained. Others said he was at home, conducting meetings but was free to come and go.

Guards were stationed outside his house, but it was not immediately clear whether they worked for him or the government.

Analysts had expected Moussavi, a former prime minister who is regarded as a reformist, to defeat Ahmadinejad. Watch as Ahmadinejad is declared the winner »

Moussavi is credited for successfully navigating the Iranian economy during a bloody eight-year war with Iraq in the 1980s. And he enjoyed tremendous support among the youth. Iran's population has a median age of 27.

When the ballots were counted, the government declared Ahmadinejad the winner -- with 62.63 percent of the vote. Moussavi received 33.75 percent.

Moussavi disputed the results, blaming "untrustworthy monitors." Independent election observers were banned from polling places.

"The results announced for the 10th presidential elections are astonishing," he said in a statement. "People who stood in long lines and knew well who they voted for were utterly surprised by the magicians working at the television and radio broadcasting."

Angered by the returns, Moussavi's supporters took to the streets Saturday. With handkerchiefs and surgical masks shielding them from the pungency of tear gas, they clashed openly with police in a rare challenge to the regime.

TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday gave his support to the outcome of the country's contested presidential election, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported.

Protests continue Sunday for a second day in Tehran over the results of the presidential election.

more photos »

Khamenei praised the large voter turnout at Friday's election, where President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was re-elected with more than 62 percent of the vote, and said the result showed Iranians value "resistance against oppressors," the agency reported.

But clashes between police, supporters of the president and protesters opposing Ahmadinejad, dominated the capital Sunday.

Supporters of Mir Hossein Moussavi, an opposition candidate many analysts believed could unseat Ahmadinejad, allege the vote was rigged.

Hundreds of regular and riot police were on the streets as civil unrest continued for the second straight day.

But it was non-uniformed activists, on foot and on motorcycles, who appeared to be behind the most violent incidents.

Some residents told CNN that these "militias" were forcing their way into the homes of Moussavi supporters.

CNN reporters in Tehran witnessed men, dressed in plain clothes, combing through streets and alleys for anti-Ahmadinejad protesters. Armed with clubs, metal batons and baseball bats, they chased protesters, in some cases beating them.

Sunday's clashes began between police and protesters as Ahmadinejad held a victory rally while opposition supporters claimed ballot fraud.

Riot police fired tear gas and brandished batons to disperse about 100 stone-throwing protesters on Val Asr Street in central Tehran before thousands of flag-waving Ahmadinejad supporters jammed the area to hear his victory speech.

"Elections in Iran are the soundest, the healthiest of their kind," he told his cheering supporters. "Some people inside or outside the country ... say that the vote has been disrupted, there has been fraud. Where are irregularities in the elections?" Watch Ahmadinejad call Iran "the most stable country in the world" »

Ahmadinejad insisted the nation was united and stood together against unnamed foreign enemies.

"Each and every Iranian is a nation in itself, a pillar on their own, and they stand in the face of all enemies and resist them," he said.

CNN witnessed some confrontations in the streets.

"There was this cat-and-mouse game between the rioters and the police," said Samson Desta, a CNN producer who was hit by a police baton. "For the time being, it seems like police have things under control. But we spoke to a lot of students and they're saying, 'This is not going to go away. They may stop us now but we will come back and make sure our voices will be heard.'"

It was the second day of protests in Tehran. On Saturday, thousands of demonstrators, shouting "Death to the dictatorship," and "We want freedom," burned police motorcycles, tossed rocks through store windows and set trash cans on fire. Watch angry protesters take to streets »

With handkerchiefs and surgical masks shielding them from tear gas, Moussavi's supporters clashed openly with police in a rare challenge to the regime.

Foreign reporters were blocked at every turn from covering the demonstration. And the government reportedly shut down access to networking sites, such as Twitter, making it difficult for information to seep out to the outside world.

Ahmadinejad, who defended his "completely free" re-election, portrayed his win as a victory for the Iranian people over foreign powers on Sunday.

"They believe in a form of democracy that will yield the result that they favor," he said, referring to media outlets that questioned the election results. "The era of having a few countries making decisions for the fate of other countries has come to an end."

Eighty-five percent of the country's 46 million eligible voters went to the polls Friday -- an unprecedented voter turnout, Iran's interior ministry said.

When the ballots were counted, the government declared Ahmadinejad the winner -- with 62.63 percent of the vote.

Moussavi received 33.75 percent.

Moussavi disputed the results, blaming "untrustworthy monitors." Independent election observers were banned from polling places.

"The results announced for the 10th presidential elections are astonishing," he said in a statement. "People who stood in long lines and knew well who they voted for were utterly surprised by the magicians working at the television and radio broadcasting."

A letter published on Moussavi's Web site said the defeated candidate has asked the election authority, Iran's Guardian Council, to nullify the results of the election.

There were conflicting reports on whether Moussavi had been placed under house arrest, but in a statement Iranian police said that the candidate was not under arrest.

Moussavi, a former prime minister regarded as a reformist, is credited with successfully navigating the Iranian economy during a bloody eight-year war with Iraq in the 1980s. And he enjoyed tremendous support among Iran's youth. Iran's population has a median age of 27.

Ahmadinejad, despite being blamed for Iran's economic turmoil over the past four years, maintains staunch support in rural areas.

No matter who won, the ultimate power in Iran is with Khamenei, the supreme leader.

The system was set up after Iran became an Islamic republic in 1979 when the ruling monarchy was overthrown and Shah Mohammed Reba Phalli was forced into exile