British ambassador to Iran briefly detained at Tehran protest2Photo© news18.com

British ambassador to Iran briefly detained at Tehran protest

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Britain’s Foreign Office on Saturday said the country’s ambassador in Tehran was briefly detained by Iranian authorities during protests against the regime, and denounced the arrest as a “flagrant violation of international law”, AFP reported.

British envoy Rob Macaire was arrested for several hours in front of Amir Kabir University for inciting anti-government protestors, according to Tehran-based Tasnim news agency. A group of students reportedly gathered inside the university to protest Iran’s admission that it shot down a Ukrainian airliner. Macaire was released a few hours later and will be summoned for further explanations.

“The arrest of our Ambassador in Tehran without grounds or explanation is a flagrant violation of international law,” UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement. “The Iranian government is at a crossroads moment. It can continue its march towards pariah status with all the political and economic isolation that entails, or take steps to de-escalate tensions and engage in a diplomatic path forwards,” Raab added.