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| Iran plane crash: Britain condemns Tehran's arrest of UK ambassador | Iran plane crash: Britain condemns Tehran's arrest of UK ambassador |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Britain has condemned the arrest of the UK ambassador to Iran as a "flagrant violation of international law". | |
| Rob Macaire was detained after attending a vigil for those who died when Iranian military shot down a passenger plane on Wednesday. | Rob Macaire was detained after attending a vigil for those who died when Iranian military shot down a passenger plane on Wednesday. |
| He left when it turned into a protest before being arrested and accused of helping to organise the demonstrations. | He left when it turned into a protest before being arrested and accused of helping to organise the demonstrations. |
| In a tweet, Mr Macaire denied taking part in protests and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab condemned his arrest. | |
| Mr Macaire said he was attending the vigil because it was "normal to want to pay respects", adding that some of the victims were British. | |
| The ambassador added: "Arresting diplomats is of course illegal, in all countries." | The ambassador added: "Arresting diplomats is of course illegal, in all countries." |
| Protesters had taken to the streets in Iran's capital, Tehran, to vent anger at officials, calling them liars for having denied shooting down a Ukrainian passenger plane. | |
| On Saturday, Iran admitted "unintentionally" downing the jet, three days after the crash that killed 176 people. | On Saturday, Iran admitted "unintentionally" downing the jet, three days after the crash that killed 176 people. |
| Security Minister Brandon Lewis said on Sunday that the UK ambassador's arrest was "totally unacceptable" and a breach of the 1961 Vienna Convention. | Security Minister Brandon Lewis said on Sunday that the UK ambassador's arrest was "totally unacceptable" and a breach of the 1961 Vienna Convention. |
| "Iran does need to step back from that kind of activity and play a proper part in working with partners to de-escalate," Mr Lewis told Sky's Sophy Ridge. | "Iran does need to step back from that kind of activity and play a proper part in working with partners to de-escalate," Mr Lewis told Sky's Sophy Ridge. |
| Under the convention, diplomats cannot be detained. The Foreign Office is to demand a full explanation. | Under the convention, diplomats cannot be detained. The Foreign Office is to demand a full explanation. |
| In a statement, Mr Raab added: "The arrest of our ambassador in Tehran without grounds or explanation is a flagrant violation of international law. | In a statement, Mr Raab added: "The arrest of our ambassador in Tehran without grounds or explanation is a flagrant violation of international law. |
| "The Iranian government is at a cross-roads moment. It can continue its march towards pariah status with all the political and economic isolation that entails, or take steps to deescalate tensions and engage in a diplomatic path forwards." | "The Iranian government is at a cross-roads moment. It can continue its march towards pariah status with all the political and economic isolation that entails, or take steps to deescalate tensions and engage in a diplomatic path forwards." |
| Mr Macaire was arrested and held for three hours when he stopped at a barber shop for a haircut on his way back to the UK embassy. | Mr Macaire was arrested and held for three hours when he stopped at a barber shop for a haircut on his way back to the UK embassy. |
| The Iranian Etemad newspaper shared a picture of the ambassador on Twitter after the Tasnim news agency reported his arrest. | The Iranian Etemad newspaper shared a picture of the ambassador on Twitter after the Tasnim news agency reported his arrest. |
| Iranian media claimed Mr Macaire was accused of inciting anti-government protests. | Iranian media claimed Mr Macaire was accused of inciting anti-government protests. |
| Iran initially denied responsibility for Wednesday's crash - which killed 176 people, including four Britons. | Iran initially denied responsibility for Wednesday's crash - which killed 176 people, including four Britons. |
| But on Saturday, President Hassan Rouhani admitted Iranian military had "unintentionally" shot down the passenger plane after mistaking it for a cruise missile when it turned towards a sensitive military site. | But on Saturday, President Hassan Rouhani admitted Iranian military had "unintentionally" shot down the passenger plane after mistaking it for a cruise missile when it turned towards a sensitive military site. |
| President Rouhani said the missile strike was an "unforgivable mistake". | President Rouhani said the missile strike was an "unforgivable mistake". |
| The crash came just hours after Iran carried out missile strikes on two airbases housing US forces in Iraq. | The crash came just hours after Iran carried out missile strikes on two airbases housing US forces in Iraq. |
| UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Iran's admission was an "important first step" and called for an investigation into the "tragic accident". | UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Iran's admission was an "important first step" and called for an investigation into the "tragic accident". |
| He said the investigation into the crash should be "comprehensive, transparent and independent", adding that he would work with other affected nations, including Canada and Ukraine. | He said the investigation into the crash should be "comprehensive, transparent and independent", adding that he would work with other affected nations, including Canada and Ukraine. |
| The prime minister said it was "vital that all leaders now pursue a diplomatic way forward" in the conflict in the region. | The prime minister said it was "vital that all leaders now pursue a diplomatic way forward" in the conflict in the region. |
| Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, Mr Raab said was time for Tehran "to come to the negotiating table to resolve all of Iran's issues of international concern." | Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, Mr Raab said was time for Tehran "to come to the negotiating table to resolve all of Iran's issues of international concern." |
| Mr Raab said Iran "must stop pursuing a nuclear weapon, end its support for terrorism, and release the foreign nationals and dual nationals it cruelly holds". | Mr Raab said Iran "must stop pursuing a nuclear weapon, end its support for terrorism, and release the foreign nationals and dual nationals it cruelly holds". |
| Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the shooting down of the passenger plane by Iran was "an appalling act, and part of a whole pattern of appalling acts all across the region". | Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the shooting down of the passenger plane by Iran was "an appalling act, and part of a whole pattern of appalling acts all across the region". |
| "There's no excuse for shooting down an airliner, there's no excuse for a targeted assassination by one state against another," he said at an anti-war protest in central London on Saturday. | "There's no excuse for shooting down an airliner, there's no excuse for a targeted assassination by one state against another," he said at an anti-war protest in central London on Saturday. |
| The Queen has also sent a message of condolence to the Governor-General of Canada - where the majority of the passengers on the flight were headed. | The Queen has also sent a message of condolence to the Governor-General of Canada - where the majority of the passengers on the flight were headed. |
| Out of the 176 victims on board the Kyiv-bound flight, 138 had listed Canada as their eventual destination. | Out of the 176 victims on board the Kyiv-bound flight, 138 had listed Canada as their eventual destination. |
| The Queen said she and the Duke of Edinburgh were "deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life". | The Queen said she and the Duke of Edinburgh were "deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life". |
| The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall added their condolences, saying they were "utterly horrified" by the disaster. | The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall added their condolences, saying they were "utterly horrified" by the disaster. |
| The UK government says that four Britons were on board the Ukrainian passenger plane. | The UK government says that four Britons were on board the Ukrainian passenger plane. |
| Three have been named as Mohammed Reza Kadkhoda Zadeh, who owned a dry cleaners in West Sussex, BP engineer Sam Zokaei from Twickenham, and PhD student and engineer Saeed Tahmasebi, who lived in Dartford. | Three have been named as Mohammed Reza Kadkhoda Zadeh, who owned a dry cleaners in West Sussex, BP engineer Sam Zokaei from Twickenham, and PhD student and engineer Saeed Tahmasebi, who lived in Dartford. |
| Mr Tahmasebi's Iranian wife, Niloufar Ebrahim, was also listed as a passenger on the plane. | Mr Tahmasebi's Iranian wife, Niloufar Ebrahim, was also listed as a passenger on the plane. |
| The attack on the airliner came amid heightened tensions in the region following the killing of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani on 3 January. | The attack on the airliner came amid heightened tensions in the region following the killing of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani on 3 January. |
| Tehran vowed revenge after he died in a drone strike ordered by US President Donald Trump. | Tehran vowed revenge after he died in a drone strike ordered by US President Donald Trump. |