By JOHN F. BURNS
Published: November 30, 2011
Iranian attack on British embassy.
Britain decided to close its embassy in Tehran and to expel all Iranian diplomats from London. Following the decision of Britain, Iran appeared to be more isolated, internationally. However, this withdrawal is seen to complicate efforts by Western governments to halt what they have identified as Iran's covert efforts to acquire nuclear weapons.
British Embassy has long been denounced by many Iranians, but its maintenance of has provided a useful bridge for diplomatic contacts on the nuclear issue.
Foreign Secretary William Hague said that diplomatic relations had not been ruptured altogether and showed the need for continuing contacts with Tehran on Iran's nuclear program.
Britain emphasized the broad international support it had received over the embassy attack. Britain is supported by Washington, Russia, China, etc.
European countries, such as France, as EU, are considering an embargo on Iran's oil or a freeze of its central bank holdings in Europe.
Some countries are withdrawing their ambassadors from Iran, such as France, Germany, and the Netherlands. Italy is still considering. Austria is against Iran, by saying that Iran had placed itself "outside the framework of international law."
The article ends with a surprising comment that Mr. Hague:
“Iran is a country where opposition leaders are under house arrest, more than 500 people have been executed so far this year, and where genuine protest is ruthlessly stamped on. The idea that the Iranian authorities could not have protected our embassy or that this could have taken place without some degree of regime consent is fanciful.”
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