Publish Date: 30 November 2011 - 12:51

Iranian lawmaker Abdoljabbar Karami censured attack against two British Embassy compounds by protesters yesterday in Tehran and called the action against the diplomatic convention.

Speaking to Khabar Online on the phone, Karami who is the representative of Sanandaj city (in Kurdistan province) in the Majlis condemned the attack by dozens of protesters who stormed into the embassy, and warned of possible retaliations in the UK and other countries.
 
"Although we don't regard the hostile and hypocritical measures taken by a British government against the Islamic Republic of Iran during the last 32 years, which have caused broad consequences for us in the international scene defendable, but, this kind of action and storming into their embassy is a breach of the diplomatic convention," he said.
 
Asserting that the Islamic Republic government and police forces are responsible for the security of the embassies of all countries, Karami added: "Foreign countries regard their embassies in Iran as safe havens where they can work. If such sense of security is destroyed, which country will tend to maintain its embassy in Iran?"
 
Stressing that some Iranian students are not tasked with adjusting our diplomatic relations with other countries, Karami stated: "When Majlis (parliament) has downgraded diplomatic ties with the UK simply one level, those students don’t have the right to take a step ahead, attack their embassy and call for closing the place. Such action is unlawful, a breach of the bill passed by the Majlis and is even against the religious law."
 
The lawmaker pointed out that based on the recent Majlis ratification, limiting relations with the UK must be monitored by the Supreme Council of National Security and the Foreign Ministry. He again regarded the capture of British Embassy and unlawful act.
 
"These actions will seriously deteriorate our prestige in the international society. Perhaps in short-term it appeals to some [radical] groups and figures, but in a long-term will bring negative consequences," he said.
 
The member of the health committee of Majlis stated that the security officials must be questioned why based on the international custom, they didn't maintain the security of the British Embassy which will tarnish our image in the world and illustrates us as an uncivilized country.
 
"I will personally raise the question in Majlis since the British Embassy hadn't ignored the bill passed by the Majlis to make us expel them. Even if they had done so, the responsible Iranian organizations should have faced them, not a group of students!" Karami added.
 
Earlier this week a majority of 179 Iranian lawmakers voted for expelling the British ambassador to Tehran, reducing the level of ties to charge d'affaires and limiting economic and cultural ties with the UK.
 
That was a reaction to a new round of economic sanctions being imposed by the UK on Iran after the latest report of the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) Board of Governors which claims Iran is seeking a nuclear weapon and led
 
After the yesterday incidents, The British Foreign Office issued a statement calling on Iranian authorities to act with utmost urgency to ensure the situation is brought under control and to protect their diplomatic compound under international law including the Vienna Convention.
 
Iran’s Foreign Ministry also issued a statement last night and expressed deep regret over the events that occurred after staging a demonstration by a group of students in front of the British Embassy.
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