Worldwide

Iranian diplomats told to get out of UK

30 November 2011 | Worldwide  By Victoria Smith 

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The UK has ordered the immediate closure of the Iranian embassy in London in response to attacks on the British mission in Tehran, William Hague told the Commons.

The Foreign Secretary said the British embassy in the Iranian capital had been closed and staff withdrawn following yesterday's mob assaults on two compounds in the city.

In a statement to the Commons, he said it was "fanciful" to think that the attacks could have taken place "without some degree of regime consent".

Announcing the downgrading of diplomatic links between the two nations to their lowest level without cutting ties completely, Mr Hague said the Iranian charge d'affaires had been told all staff must leave the UK in the next 48 hours.

"If any country makes it impossible for us to operate on their soil they cannot expect to have a functioning embassy here," he said.

The attacks on the two embassy compounds came at a time of increased tension between the UK and Iran over the Tehran regime's nuclear programme.

Mr Hague told MPs that his move did not amount to the severing of diplomatic ties but was "action that reduces our relations with Iran to the lowest level consistent with the maintenance of diplomatic relations".

He added: "It remains desirable for British representatives to be in contact with Iranian representatives, for instance as part of any negotiations about their nuclear programme or to discuss human rights."

Mr Hague warned it would be a "serious mistake" for Iran to think intimidation of embassy staff would persuade the UK to back down from playing a leading role on the international stage.

"We wish to make absolutely clear to Iran and to any other nation that such action against our embassies and such a flagrant breach of international responsibilities is totally unacceptable to the United Kingdom.

"Later today and tomorrow I will attend the meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels when we will discuss these events and further action which needs to be taken in the light of Iran's continued pursuit of a nuclear weapons programme.

"As a permanent member of the UN Security Council and a leading member of the EU we are proud of the role our country plays in maintaining international peace and security and standing up for human rights all over the world.

"If the Iranian government thinks we will be diverted from these responsibilities by the intimidation of our Embassy staff they will be making a serious mistake."

Outlining yesterday's events, Mr Hague said approximately 200 demonstrators linked to the ruling Iranian regime overran the embassy's city-centre compound in Tehran yesterday afternoon.

"The majority of demonstrators were from a student Basij militia organisation.

"We should be clear from the outset that this is an organisation controlled by elements of the Iranian regime.

"The demonstrators proceeded systematically to vandalise and loot the homes of staff located on the site and the Ambassador's residence.

"They destroyed furniture, stole property including the personal possessions of our staff, and set fire to the main embassy office building.

"Simultaneously, our second embassy compound at Gulhaq in north Tehran also came under attack. Staff homes there were also attacked and looted.

"Our staff immediately evacuated the buildings affected and took refuge in safe areas of the compound.

"It was not until later yesterday evening that we received confirmation that the Iranian diplomatic police had belatedly assisted at both compounds and that all our staff were accounted for."

He paid tribute to the ambassador and his staff who behaved with the "utmost calm and professionalism" as the events unfolded.

Mr Hague told MPs: "It will be obvious to the whole House and the whole world that these events are a grave violation of the Vienna Convention which states that a host state is required to protect the premises of a diplomatic mission against any intrusion, damage or disturbance.

"This is a breach of international responsibilities of which any nation should be ashamed."

While relations with Iran were strained "we should be absolutely clear that no difficulty in relations can ever excuse in any way or under any circumstances the failure to protect diplomatic staff and diplomatic premises".

Mr Hague said: "Iran is a country where opposition leaders are under house arrest, where more than 500 people have been executed so far this year and where genuine protest is ruthlessly stamped on.

"The idea that the Iranian authorities could not have protected our embassy or that this assault could have taken place without some degree of regime consent is fanciful."

Mr Hague said all UK-based staff had left Iran, allowing him to announce the closure of the Iranian embassy without fear of further reprisals.

The Foreign Office was advising against all but essential travel to Iran but Mr Hague said: "At present there are no indications that British nationals outside the embassy are being targeted in any way."

British nationals requiring urgent consular assistance will receive help from other EU missions in Tehran, he added.

Earlier, at Prime Minister's Question Time, David Cameron described the demonstration, which saw the mob smash windows, torch cars and burn Union flags, as "appalling and disgraceful behaviour".

Shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander said Labour was "clear and unequivocal" in its condemnation of the "deplorable" attacks in Tehran.

He said the British ambassador Dominick Chilcott and his staff had shown "unyielding professionalism and bravery" in the face of the assaults but he said locally-based staff must be protected as well as UK employees.

Hostility towards the UK had been caused by a recent report by the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) into accumulating evidence of Iran's nuclear capabilities, he said.

"The Iranian government clearly failed to take adequate measures to protect our embassy, our staff and our property," he said.

"Their international responsibilities, including under the Vienna Convention, are well-established. These demonstrations were coordinated not coincidental and it stretches credulity that the regime, or at least elements within the regime, were unaware at least of some of these actions."

Mr Alexander said the UK must be able to continue to hold talks with Iran, even if neither country has an ambassador in the other's country as if relations were to break down completely, hardline elements in the regime would be strengthened.

He said a "twin track" approach was needed to continue negotiations while at the same time taking a tough approach to the assaults on the British embassy.

Facing questions from backbenchers, Mr Hague refused to rule out military action against Iran.

Tory MP Bernard Jenkin (Harwich and North Essex) said the attacks against the embassy showed the need to take off the "rose-tinted spectacles" and consider military action after ten years of failed diplomacy.

"It has been more than a decade of best-intentioned, positive diplomacy, trying to win the argument with the Iranians, and if this incident doesn't raise the rose-tinted spectacles from our eyes, nothing will," Mr Jenkin said.

Mr Hague said that France and Germany would be acting against Iran but it was not for him to make their announcements. The UK was also in constant touch with the Gulf states who share "our outrage".

The Foreign Secretary said: "All options of course are kept on the table but I stress that we are not calling for military action."

But former foreign secretary David Miliband said the breakdown of relations represented a "very sad day".

In a question to Mr Hague, he added: "You will know however that the Iranian regime loves trading shows of machismo, enjoys tit-for-tat and parts of the regime glories in the isolation of Iran.

"In that context, the presence of the British embassy in Tehran for much of the last 30 years has been a good thing, in contrast to the American position. So this is a very sad day for diplomacy.

"What are going to do to ensure that this series of announcements do not become part of the very unwelcome drumbeat of war that has started over the last six weeks in respect of the Iranian nuclear programme?"

Mr Hague said the UK had "grave" concerns but there had been global condemnation of recent events. He added: "I am clear as Foreign Secretary that we are not pursuing or advocating military action against Iran. We are calling for peaceful legitimate pressure."

Tory Michael Ellis (Northampton North) said Iran had a "hostile, belligerent, anti-semitic" regime which was "clearly a force for evil".

He praised the "sangfroid" of the ambassador who was "clearly following in the finest traditions of the diplomatic service". Mr Ellis asked whether compensation would be sought from the Iranian regime for damage to the embassy.

Mr Hague said: "We have already put that to the Iranian charge d'affaires and that is something we continue to pursue."

In response to Tory Philip Hollobone (Kettering) Mr Hague said the attack was a sign of the "weakness" of the regime.

Mr Hague said there had been increased repression over recent months "and to the extent that this is part of that, I think it is an indication of the weakness of the regime, their fear of their own local opinion as well as international opinion".

He added: "So it should certainly be treated as weakness rather than strength."

Another Labour former foreign secretary Jack Straw said the decision to sever relations with Iran was "difficult" but it would have been what the hard-liners in the regime wanted. The decision would make it harder to help the more moderate members within Tehran's government.

Mr Hague said it was "necessary" that the British Government could look after its staff.

He said where there had been attacks on British embassy staff in Yemen, there was no suspicion that the government there had been involved. The involvement of Iran's government in the attacks "made life dramatically more difficult".

Labour chairman of the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee Keith Vaz said 70,000 Iranians live in the UK and would still need to apply for visas to return home.

Mr Hague said it would be more difficult to obtain visas but it was still possible through other embassies abroad.