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Five UK embassy staff freed by Iran
Tehran detention marks the lowest point in relations since the HMS Cornwall kidnapping in March 2007
Five of the British Embassy staff detained in Tehran were released this morning. It is not clear how many are still being detained - possibly three or four - and Britain is demanding their immediate freedom.
The detention of embassy staff has taken the already deteriorating relations between the two countries to their lowest point since the kidnapping of 15 sailors and marines from HMS Cornwall in March 2007 by Iranian Revolutionary Guards.
The diplomats were detained on the excuse that they were involved in promoting anti-government protests over the June 12 election result which gave President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad 63 per cent of the vote against 34 per cent for reformist candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi.
Speaking in Corfu, where he was attending a meeting of European foreign ministers, David Miliband said: "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."
The European Union issued a statement warning Iran that "harassment or intimidation" of embassy staff would be met with a "strong and collective" response.
The HMS Cornwall crew were held for 12 days, during which time they were humiliated on Iranian TV. With Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamanei having only recently singled out Britain as the "most evil" of foreign powers, the British Foreign Office will be fearful of similar retribution.
Other developments in Tehran:
♦ Election recount: It has finally begun - with a random 10 per cent of the votes being recounted under the auspices of the Guardian Council. It is not expected to change the outcome of the June 12 election.
♦ Further protests: The BBC is reporting that 1,000 opposition supporters staged a rally outside the Ghoba Mosque in Tehran on Sunday before police using tear gas and clubs broke up the demonstration.
♦ Neda Agha Soltan: The fiance of the the female student whose death was captured on a mobile phone footage says he warned her not to attend the protests. ·
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They're not "diplomats". They are all local Iraqi staff. Ask yourself the question "who might be trying to destabilise the Tehran regime, and how?". And then you get a clue as to the nature of work these gents were involved in... batting for Britain's "dear" American allies, as usual. You can take whatever view you like of Ahmadjinedad - but trying to pretend that these were just Charters & Caldicott doing their job organising Benjamin Britten String Quartet Evenings is losing sight of the plot here. If they were British *nationals* don't you think we'd have heard a bit more hot air out of David I-work-for-the-Pentagon Miliband?