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Sweden raps Iran over British Embassy arrests

Published: 4 Jul 09 10:36 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/20458/20090704/

Sweden, the current holder of the European Union presidency, summoned Iran's ambassador on Friday as part of a coordinated EU protest over the detention of British embassy employees in Tehran, the foreign ministry said.

Swedish state secretary for foreign affairs Frank Belfrage told Iranian Ambassador Rasoul Eslami that Britain had the "full support" of the European Union's 27 member states. "We demand that Iran immediately release the locally engaged staff who are being detained. If this does not occur, the EU will take further action," Belfrage said following the meeting.

The British government said on Friday it was "deeply concerned" by an Iranian announcement that some embassy employees will face trial for their role in allegedly stoking post-election violence.

Nine local staff at the British embassy in Tehran were initially arrested late last month but the British government said seven have been released, while Iranian state television has said only one remains in custody.

AFP/The Local (news@thelocal.se)

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11:44 July 4, 2009 by Lars J
Why do the Iranian protesters have signs written in english? It gives the impression that the protests are aimed at western media. Most iranians don't speak english.
13:11 July 4, 2009 by stainsbod
The demo is in Brussels, does that answer your question?
13:22 July 4, 2009 by glamshek
Who says that it is not aimed at WEST. Brussels or no Brussels. These are the West pub-lovers who want to appease there selfish desires and revolt against their religion. Why not Rawanda, Sri Lanka, India, Iraq and Palestine..., Why just Iran? If only 200 people die in Iran, the whole West has a pain in their bodies.

West does not speak about the millions of poor and patient supporters of Ahmedinejad. Why ?
15:06 July 4, 2009 by powerofknowledge
is "only 200" ohh my God the life is life even its only 1 person the Iranian regime will end sooner or later people want justice which is missing there attacking people the West helped Khomaini previously in 1979 in France and they took him by AirFrance airplane to Tahran to make the revolultion there
16:17 July 4, 2009 by CarlBlack
glamshek: They do not revolt against their religion, but simply against cheating during the elections and against brutal oppression of free speech. I don't know why do you mention supporters of Ahmedinejad. Did someone of them get killed by the opposition?
16:45 July 4, 2009 by Lars J
Ok, so the protest is in Brussels. The next question is why the protesters are carrying the flag of the Pahlavi Dynasty (the Shah) and not the iranian flag? The Shah was a western puppet inserted into power when CIA and MI6 removed the elected president Mohammed Mosaddeq in the "operation Ajax" coup d'état back in 1953. So why are the protesters using the Shah flag and not the Iranian flag?
17:40 July 4, 2009 by stainsbod
Lars J: Maybe they are supporters of the Pahlavi Dynasty.
22:01 July 4, 2009 by hisham
I hope the change in Iran and seccessful revolution BUT we have to remmber that many of those guys " Mojahidi Khalq " whom are asking the west for support now, were against the IRAQI unarmed people and were the beatings hand against any revolutionary movement in IRAQ during Sadams time. He gaves them the unlimmited power and the authority to suppress any movement.

As an Iraqi personly: I wish them the good luck !
00:33 July 5, 2009 by kaze
re: signs in English.

During the revolution there were lots of signs in English too.
12:26 July 5, 2009 by LundenLad
when stories like this appear you do think that Iran is closer to North Korea than you thought.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jul/01/iran-protest-arrests-afshin-friend

Torture seems to be routine, the government is so paranoid that it blames everything on outsiders, and cannot see that anyone with a brain does not want an islamic republic; its dictatorship by the proletariat, islamic style.

http://www.amnesty.org/en/region/iran
02:15 July 6, 2009 by Omidn
It seems to me that your information about Iranian flag is limmited...there is no such a flag as a Shah's flag. If you are refering to a flag with lion on it, that is the flag of Iranian from long long time ago and that is nothing to do with Shah.
01:17 July 26, 2009 by dante2
The reason why the demonstrators' signs were written in English is because they were aimed at the British and American audiences. Also because there were British and American spies working with some of the demonstrators trying to toke chaos and revolution in the country which was unsuccessful, and as a result, the Iranian regime has emerged stronger. lol...
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