12 January
The British and US governments are criticizing Iran for briefly detaining London's ambassador to Tehran during an anti-government protest in the Iranian capital on Saturday.
British media say Ambassador Rob Macaire was attending a memorial to remember those who died in the crash of a Ukrainian airliner on Wednesday. The event turned into a protest against the government, and the ambassador was detained on suspicion of being involved. British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement, "The arrest of our ambassador in Tehran without grounds or explanation is a flagrant violation of international law."
The statement also says, "The Iranian government is at a cross-roads moment; it can continue its march towards pariah status with the political and economic isolation that entails or take steps to de-escalate tensions and engage in a diplomatic path forwards."
US State Department Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus criticized Iran in a tweet for what she called its violation of the Vienna Convention. She demanded that Iran respect the rights of diplomats and formally apologize to the British government.—NHK
