Iranian protesters seize 6 British embassy staff

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Reuters:

(Reuters) - Iranian protesters briefly took six British embassy staff hostage on Tuesday when they stormed two diplomatic compounds in Tehran, smashing windows, hurling petrol bombs and burning the British flag in a protest against sanctions imposed by Britain.

Britain said it was outraged by the attacks on its embassy compounds, but had no immediate comment on the seizure of its staff who, Iran's semi-official Fars news agency said, were freed by police from a leafy residential complex in north Tehran.

The attacks come at a time of rising diplomatic tension between Iran and Western nations who last week imposed fresh sanctions over Tehran's nuclear program which they believe is aimed at achieving the capability of making an atomic bomb.

Iran, the world's fifth biggest oil exporter, says it only wants nuclear plants to generate electricity.

The embassy storming is also a clear sign of deepening political infighting within Iran's ruling hardline elites with the conservative-led parliament attempting to force the hand of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and expel the British ambassador.

Several dozen protesters broke away from a crowd of a few hundred outside the main embassy compound in downtown Tehran, scaled the gates, broke the locks and went inside.

Protesters pulled down the British flag, burned it, and put up the Iranian flag, Iranian news agencies and news pictures showed. Inside, the demonstrators threw stones and petrol bombs. One waved a framed picture of Queen Elizabeth, state TV showed.
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The beginning of Britain's hostage crisis?

[Casino67]

Could it be the beginning of the end of Ahmadinnerjacket? If the sanctions were not hurting, would this have happened?

 

The mullahs are upset with the direction of the country, the people are upset and blowing up the country and Dinnerjacket appears helpless in doing anything about it. All he wants is a nuclear device which will eventually bankrupt the country.

 

Thank god Obama is on top of this situation. Focused like a laser.

[WestVirginiaRebel]

I really don't think it's so much Dinnerjacket anymore as it is the mullahs who really call the shots in Iran.

[SrWoodchuck]

Mahmoud, what are you doing?! First you claim to have captured CIA agents. Now you’ve unleashed “students” on the British Embassy. If you weren’t nuts, you’d pipe down, sit back and let Barry allow Sharia to go viral all around you. Don’t you realize that shouting DEATH TO AMERICA seriously hampers Barry’s re-election plans? That’s the one thing that can get you in serious trouble with the One. If you could only quiet your inner mad dog, Barry will take care of that DOWN WITH AMERICA thing for you too.@Dale