Iran Envoy Leaves UK Amid Row
September 03, 2003
BBC News
BBCi
Iran has temporarily recalled its ambassador to Britain amid an escalating dispute between the two countries.
The foreign ministry in Tehran said Ambassador Morteza Sarmadi had returned for "consultations", but did not specify how long he would stay away.
He is said to have been recalled after failing to win concessions following the arrest of another Iranian diplomat in Britain, Hade Soleimanpour.
Mr Soleimanpour's extradition is being sought by Argentina in connection with the bombing of a Jewish centre in Buenos Aires in 1994, when he was Iranian ambassador there.
The Foreign Office in London denied that Mr Sarmadi's departure amounted to a downgrading of relations.
Iran has threatened to withdraw some of its diplomats, but not its ambassador to London, over the arrest.
Denial
The BBC's Jim Muir in Tehran says it is unclear what actions the Iranian authorities are planning to take.
There is speculation that they are considering expelling the British ambassador to Iran, our correspondent adds.
Relations between the two countries have been strained since Mr Soleimanpour's arrest on 21 August, following an extradition request from Argentina.
The Argentine authorities believe he was involved in planning and commissioning the Jewish centre bombing, which killed 85 people.
He has strenuously denied any involvement, but has been refused bail after his arrest in Durham, where he was a research student at the city's university.
Iranian President Ali Mohammed Khatami has demanded Mr Soleimanpour's release and an apology from Britain.
Last month, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister, Ali Ahani, visited London to discuss the matter with UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw.
The British Government says it cannot intervene in what it calls a purely judicial, and not political, process.
Mr Soleimanpour was on sabbatical from the Iranian embassy when he was arrested.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3076662.stmShots fired at UK embassy in Tehran hours after Iran recalled ambassador
03-09-2003, 08:40
Britain's embassy in the Iranian capital of Tehran has been shut down Wednesday after receiving direct hits from a number of shots fired from a nearby street.
According to an embassy spokesman, cited by the BBC, the five shots were fired on the embassy building just before midday (local time) Wednesday, breaking windows and entering the building.
Nobody was injured in the attack which comes hours after the announcement that Iran had recalled its ambassador to the UK.
The ambassador had been recalled to Tehran over the detention in Britain of Iran's former ambassador to Argentina, Hadi Soleimanpour, wanted in connection with a "terrorist attack" in Argentina, nearly a decade ago as well as western pressure on Tehran over its alleged nuclear weapons ambitions, according to the British Guardian.
In its Wednesday edition, the newspaper said Ambassador Morteza Sarmadi flew back to his country after failing to settle any compromise from British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw during a meeting held at the Foreign Office earlier this week.
A diplomat in London, cited by the paper, said that although Sarmadi has officially returned for consultations with his superiors, "he may not return."
Such a diplomatic row, according to the paper, could prompt Iran to expel the British envoy to Tehran, Richard Dalton.
Last week Sarmadi said "The arrest of former Iranian ambassador to Argentina, Hadi Soleimanpour, by British authorities is technically wrong and baseless."
Sarmadi told IRNA that based on international law under the 1961 Vienna Convention ambassadors and embassy staff are immune from prosecution.
Spokesman for Iranian Foreign Ministry Hamid-Reza Asefi Asefi confirmed the news about Sarmadi's return to Tehran. However, he dismissed as "baseless and unfounded" news claiming Iran has recalled 400 of its diplomats to the country.
The Qatar-based al-Jazeera news network claimed Tuesday that Iran, following the Argentina case, had recalled 400 of its diplomats back home. Asefi stressed that the news was utterly baseless and false. (Albawaba.com)
http://www.albawaba.com/news/index.php3?sid=257687&lang=e&dir=news