EUROPEAN UNION members are threatening the collective withdrawal of their ambassadors from Iran to secure the release of the British embassy employees being held by the authorities.
EU diplomats said last night that all the envoys could be recalled “temporarily” in solidarity with staff from the British mission in Tehran who have been accused – entirely falsely, British officials insist – of involvement in protests over the “stolen” presidential election.
Five of the nine Iranians, who were arrested on Saturday, were freed yesterday, but four others, understood to be the most senior, were still being questioned. None of them has been named.
As the row with Britain continued, Iran’s guardian council, the country’s top legislative body, confirmed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s victory in the disputed poll after a partial recount, finally dashing hopes of a different outcome.
British prime minister Gordon Brown underlined concern over the embassy incident when he called it unacceptable and unjustifiable that the employees were being held.
Mr Brown was speaking in London alongside European Commission president José Manuel Barroso, who expressed full solidarity with Britain.
On Sunday, EU foreign ministers warned Iran that any “harassment or intimidation” of embassy staff would be met with a “strong and collective” response. Most of the 27 EU member states have their own ambassadors in Tehran.
Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, who will next week host a meeting of the G8 rich nations, said last night that they would discuss sanctions against Iran.
Asked about sanctions, he replied that Iran “will be the first issue we will deal with”.
Diplomats said it had not been agreed when the EU envoys would be recalled, or for how long. But the threat is clearly intended to signal seriousness of intent to the Tehran authorities in the hope they will back down.
Iran’s foreign ministry had earlier appeared to respond to the warning by saying it did not wish to damage or downgrade relations with Britain, after a phone conversation on Sunday between David Miliband, the British foreign secretary, and his Iranian counterpart, Manuchehr Mottaki. Mr Miliband had demanded the immediate release of the embassy staff.
But the fear in London is that the foreign ministry is not in control, with regime hardliners from the interior ministry and intelligence service calling the shots.
The guardian council’s recount of 10 per cent of votes has always been treated with scepticism. Mir Hossein Mousavi, who says he beat Mr Ahmadinejad, demanded an annulment of the 63 per cent to 34 per cent result, which he says was rigged.
Reuters adds:Witnesses reported an increased police presence in some Tehran squares yesterday. One said riot police were out in force on a northern section of tree-lined Vali-ye Asr, Tehran's most famous boulevard.
Relatively prosperous northern Tehran is a stronghold of Mousavi supporters.