‘Anti-British action reflects Iranian public opinion’

TEHRAN,Dec. 1 (MNA) -- Iranian Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani said that the Iranian students’ action against the British Embassy in Tehran accurately reflects the anti-British sentiments of Iranians. “The students’ action against the British Embassy was a symbol of the public opinion of Iranians,” Larijani told reporters on Wednesday. During an open session of parliament on the same day, Larijani dismissed the United Nations Security Council condemnation of the incident that occurred after a demonstration by students in front of the British Embassy in Tehran on Tuesday as a “hasty move”. “The hasty move in the Security Council in condemning the students’ action was done to cover up the previous crimes of Britain and the United States,” he stated. “The previous day, a number of students, who were outraged by the British government’s behavior, staged a demonstration in front of this country’s embassy, and some of them entered the embassy compound,” he said, adding, “This rage was a result of several decades of Britain’s imperialistic actions in Iran. “While the incident was taking place, police made every effort to maintain order. But the question is: Why did the Security Council not convene immediately to condemn Britain in 1980 after a number of counter-revolutionary elements attacked the Iranian Embassy in London and seriously damaged the building and killed and injured a number of people?” “This deceptive approach will undermine world security and stability,” he said. “The Majlis regards the hasty behavior of the U.S. and Britain and their acts of adventurism in relation to the students’ action as opportunism… to take advantage of the issue,” he stated. On Tuesday, after a demonstration was held to protest against the British government’s hostile policies toward Iran in front of the British Embassy in Tehran, a number of Iranian students from various universities entered the British Embassy compound and pulled down the Union Jack. The Iranian Foreign Ministry issued a statement that evening, expressing deep regret over the incident and saying that the Islamic Republic of Iran is committed to international law and diplomatic protocols and will fulfill its obligations to protect diplomats and foreign countries’ embassies. The UN Security Council condemned the incident “in the strongest terms” on Tuesday, Bloomberg reported. “Expressing their deep concern at such attacks, the members of the Security Council called on the Iranian authorities to protect diplomats and consular property and personnel,” according to a statement read out by the rotating president of the 15-member body. According to Reuters, Britain evacuated all its diplomatic staff from Iran on Wednesday.