Iran Arrests British Ambassador at Protest in Tehran, Releases After Detention of Hour; UK Condemns
The British ambassador to Iran, Rob Macaire, was arrested by the Iranian government at the scene of an anti-regime protest in Tehran Saturday night (local time). Macaire was reportedly taking pictures and video of the protest at Amir Kabir University. He was reportedly accused of organizing or inciting the protest but was released after being held for an hour or several hours.
Photo released by IRGC.
IRGC published this photo saying British Ambassador @HMATehran moments after he was arrested outside Amirkabir university in Tehran. Reports say he was quickly released after the Foreign Ministry intervened. #Iran pic.twitter.com/4USo8RZ2sw— Negar Mortazavi (@NegarMortazavi) January 11, 2020
Iran’s Tasnim News reported (via translation), “In Tehran, he was detained for an hour after being suspected of organizing suspicious movements in front of Amir Kabir University and then released. The protest was told after his detention”
An unconfirmed report says Macaire was released after Iran Foreogn Minister Javad Zarif intervened, “british Ambassador to #IRAN;Rob Mcaire (@HMATehran) was arrested in #Tehran anti government protest in front of Amirkabir University. He was hiding his identity first and pretended to not understand Farsi. Thanks to @JZarif, released in few hours.”Breaking;— Shaban Tondar (@ShabanTondar) January 11, 2020
british Ambassador to #IRAN;
Rob Mcaire (@HMATehran) was arrested in #Tehran anti government protest in front of Amirkabir University.
He was hiding his identity first and pretended to not understand Farsi.
Thanks to @JZarif, released in few hours.@BorisJohnson pic.twitter.com/8lzhWhV1aX
Another unconfirmed report says Macaire was forced to delete his photos and video, “#Update: Just in – The Iranian security forces have forced the British ambassador to delete all of the pictures and videos he has been taking from the protests in #Tehran in #Iran today, after he was accused of starting these protests across the country. #UK”
#Update: Just in - The Iranian security forces have forced the British ambassador to delete all of the pictures and videos he has been taking from the protests in #Tehran in #Iran today, after he was accused of starting these protests across the country. #UK— Sotiri Dimpinoudis (@sotiridi) January 11, 2020
A memeber of the Iranian parliament, Hamid Rasaee, accused Macaire of wetting his pants when he was arrested, “In front of Amir Kabir University, while taking a photo of Wafil, arrested and detained, wet his pants! We look forward to seeing a doctorate #گلدین_گلاسکو And the jokes of meeting Johnson are miraculous or the independence of the Iranian people is respected and the fox’s nose is rubbed into the ground. #روباه_در_تله”
#سفیر_انگلیس مقابل دانشگاه امیرکبیر درحالی که عکس وفیلم می‌گرفته، دستگیر شده وهنگام بازداشت، شلوارش را خیس کرده!— حمید رسایی (@hamidrasaee) January 11, 2020
منتظریم ببینیم مدرک دکترای #گلدین_گلاسکو و قهقهه‌های دیدار با جانسون، معجزه می‌کند یا استقلال ملت ایران رعایت میشود و پوز این روباه به خاک مالیده میشود.#روباه_در_تله
As always, unconfirmed reports should be read with a skeptical eye.
UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab issued a statement condemning the arrest of Macaire as a “flagrant violation of international law”.
BREAKING: UK Foreign secretary Dominic Raab calls the detention today of @HMATehran Rob Macaire a “flagrant violation of international law” pic.twitter.com/FvEi9iTpFJ— Stuart Hughes (@stuartdhughes) January 11, 2020
