Britain orders Iran's diplomats to leave UK (Including France and Germany, Italy may follow)

AJC ^ | 1:15 p.m. Wednesday, November 30, 2011 | DAVID STRINGER

[TSgt]

LONDON — Britain ordered Iran on Wednesday to remove all its diplomats from the U.K. within 48 hours following attacks on its embassy and a residential compound in Tehran — one of the most significant diplomatic retaliations against Iran since the 1979 U.S. embassy crisis.

Foreign Secretary William Hague told the House of Commons that Britain had also withdrawn its entire diplomatic staff from Iran after angry mobs hauled down Union Jack flags, torched a vehicle and tossed looted documents through windows.

The rare move to kick out a country's entire diplomatic corps marks a significant souring of ties between Iran and the West, amid deepening suspicions over Tehran's pursuit of nuclear weapons. Tensions were heightened in October when U.S. officials accused agents linked to Iran's Quds Force — an elite wing of the powerful Revolutionary Guard — of a role in an alleged plot to kill the Saudi ambassador to the U.S.

Germany, France and the Netherlands all recalled their ambassadors from Iran late Wednesday for consultations on further action in response. Norway closed its embassy in Tehran as a precaution.

[TSgt]

55 mins ago

France recalls ambassador to Iran for consultations after attack on British embassy in Tehran - @AP

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59 mins ago

More: Iran foreign ministry says it holds Britain responsible for security of its diplomatic properties in the UK, state TV says - @Reuters

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1 hr ago

Iran calls British move to close Iran embassy in London 'hasty'; says Iran will take 'further appropriate action,' state TV says - @Reuters

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3 hrs ago

Italy considering closing its embassy in Tehran, foreign minister says - @Reuters

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3 hrs ago

Germany recalls ambassador from Iran for consultations, German media reports - @Reuters

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4 hrs ago

Thumbnail @SkyNewsBreak Foreign Secretary: All Iranian diplomatic staff ordered to leave UK in next 48 hours

spotted by editor from twitter.com/SkyNewsBreak More

4 hrs ago

Thumbnail @AP BREAKING: Britain says it will expel all Iranian officials from UK following attack on embassy in Tehran. -BW

spotted by editor from twitter.com/AP More

4 hrs ago

UK foreign secretary: Britain withdrawing all diplomats from Iran following embassy attack; not severing relations entirely - @AP, @Reuters

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5 hrs ago

UK foreign secretary says attack on UK embassy in Tehran could not have taken place without some degree of Iranian regime consent - @Reuters

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6 hrs ago

Prime Minister David Cameron says he will consider taking some very tough action after attack on UK Embassy in Tehran - Reuters

[AU72]

Good time to get out of Dodge.

[WayneS]

Good for them.

[Genoa]

Recalling one's own ambassador for "consultations" is a relatively tame sign of displeasure. On the other hand, the expulsion of the Iranian embassy from London is a big deal.

[556x45]

Prelude to war?

[Spok]

The number of countries closing their embassies should tell monkey man who’s lining up if he starts a war. Israel might be without U.S. support, but it won’t be alone.

[Dengar01]

Good, glad that the rest of the countries not living in the 6th Century are getting out of Iran.

Of course China and Russia will stay, that's a given.

After the UK Embassy is emptied of UK citizens and only the Islamists remain I'd love to see a predator drone level the place.

[Mich Patriot]

"Iran foreign ministry says it holds Britain responsible for security of its diplomatic properties in the UK"

Ha ha ha ha ha!!!! Holy arrogant hypocritical camel-f#cking Iranians, Batman!

[Scotsman will be Free]

All western nations should throw the savages out of their countries, and withdraw all diplomatic missions from iran. Then a complete embargo needs to be emplaced around them. Let ‘em starve to death.
“Students” my a$$!

[coon2000]

I do not understand why we helped oust Gaddafi but did not help when the Iranian people were trying to overthrow their government. We should have kept Gaddafi in power and have him help in destabilizing Iran.

[maquiladora]

If they didn’t want to go to war with them due to them building nuclear weapons that could be aimed at London then I really doubt they will want to go to war with them due to some property damage and stolen Pulp Fiction posters.

[arrdon]

Good time to FLUSH the rest of the rag-heads out of GB while you’re at it.

[556x45]

Perhaps but maybe they were waiting for a time of their choosing rather than Iran’s. Just a thought. The embassy ‘invasion’ seems a good enough pretext, much less has sufficed in the past. Seems strange they made no attempt to stop it being taken over. Then you have some of the major euro countries claiming they might follow suit. Something is certainly up...

[dblshot]

This right after an “accident” at one of Iran’s nuke sites. Obama needs a Wag the Dog event too. Syria, a virtual suburb of Iran about to expode internally, Russia moving its aircraft carrier to the Caspian, Pakastan really POing the USA, the attempt by Iran to take out the Saudi ambassador. At what point does someone around I’manutjob yell duck?

[bert]

Meanwhile in Riyadh.......

WORLD
Saudi Arabia urges citizens to leave Syria

RIYADH – The Saudi foreign ministry urged Tuesday its citizens to leave Syria and not to travel to the Arab nation that has been hit by months of deadly protests.
“Due to the security situation, Saudi Arabia urges its citizens to leave Syria and not travel there,” the ministry said in a statement carried by SPA state news agency.
Syria’s foreign minister will attend an emergency meeting of the Organisation of the Islamic Cooperation aimed at finding ways to end the bloodshed in his country, an OIC official said Tuesday.
The meeting to be held on Wednesday comes just days after the Arab League imposed unprecedented economic sanctions on Syria, including a ban on travel of Syrian officials to Arab countries.
“The (OIC) general secretariat has received confirmation from the Syrian side that Foreign Minister Walid Muallem will attend,” the OIC official told AFP requesting anonymity.
He also said that Ali Akbar Salehi, the foreign minister of Iran which is a key regional ally of Syria, will also attend the meeting in Jeddah. – AFP

[kevkrom]

Israel might be without U.S. support, but it won’t be alone.

Oh, Israel may very well be alone, but more importantly, it will be left alone to do what needs to be done, without the usual suspects getting in its way.

[ncfool]

James Bond is alive and is working in Iran for her Majesty!

[EDINVA]

Well, it WAS the UK embassy that was attacked, the others not yet. So they will consult, and that consultation could lead to removal of those countries’ embassy staffs from Tehran and expelling Iranian diplomats from their countries. Diplomacy is an escargot in motion.

[Cheburashka]

...Russia moving its aircraft carrier to the Caspian,...

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Brainfart alert. How exactly is the Russian aircraft carrier supposed to deploy to the Caspian?

This concludes our brainfart alert. We now return you to regular Free Republic posting, already in progress.

[Ax]

I was wondering about that too. Wouldn’t make a whole lot of sense for the Russians to build an aircraft carrier for use only on the Caspian. If they had built a canal, I think we’d know about it.