British ambassador to Iran briefly detained at Tehran protest
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.