Iranian students break into UK Embassy residence, Gholhak Gardens

by Blue Crush | December 30, 2008 at 01:17 pm

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Tehran, Iran - A group of Iranian demonstrators stormed the British embassy's residence Tuesday night to protest London's stance towards towards the Israeli attack on Gaza, state news agency IRNA reports.

The agency says the students stormed the compound Tuesday evening and pulled down the British flag. IRNA says the students then hoisted a Palestinian flag at compound's entrance before police forced them to leave.

The news agency says the break-in lasted about an hour and that the area is now calm. No injuries were reported.

"A large group of people and students entered the Gholhak Gardens, which are occupied by the British embassy, to protest at Britain's policies in supporting the Zionist regime and put up the Palestinian flag there," IRNA said.

A media officer at the British embassy in Tehran confirmed the report adding that diplomatic police had driven the demonstrators out.

"We do confirm the raid on our premises. We are in contact with Islamic republic authorities to resolve the matter," Mitra Behnam told AFP.

Fresh protests were held Tuesday across Iran, which is a staunch supporter of the Islamist movement and does not reconize its archfoe Israel.

In Tuesday's protest, demonstrators torched British, US and Israeli flags in front the Gholhak compound before moving towards the Egyptian interest section where they staged another protest and chanted "Death to (Egyptian President) Hosni Mubarak," the Fars news agency said.

Egypt has come in for strong criticism from Hamas and their sympathisers around the Muslim world for not fully opening its border with Gaza in the face of Israel's devastating four-day-old air blitz.