Iran Focus
Tehran, Iran, Feb. 14 Hard-line radicals linked to Irans Revolutionary Guards rallied outside the British embassy in Tehran and called for the death of British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
The protestors, who threw stones and fire bombs at the embassy, were demonstrating against Londons stance against Tehrans nuclear file and the publication of insulting cartoons of the Islamic prophet Muhammad in European dailies.
Death to Tony Blair, they chanted, as they set British flags on fire.
They also burnt American, French, German, and Israeli flags as they chanted slogans such as Death to Britain, Death to France, Death to Germany, and Death to Israel.
Several embassy windows were shattered during the attack.
The several-hundred hard-liners called for the expulsion of British ambassador Sir Richard Dalton and the closure of the British embassy, which has come under several similar attacks over the past week.
Prior to the attack on the British embassy, a smaller crowd attacked the German embassy in Tehran.
Western officials have said that Irans rulers have deliberately been encouraging violent protests over the cartoons.
In Tehran, the embassies of Britain, France, Germany, Norway, Austria, and Denmark have all come under attack during similar protests.
On Monday, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan said that countries such as Iran and Syria which did not protect foreign embassies should pay the cost of damages.
