Iran warns Britain that relations will suffer

Iran warned Britain today that ties between both countries will suffer if London does not free a former Iranian diplomat from custody.

Anglo-Iranian relations soured following last month’s arrest of former diplomat Hade Soleimanpour in England over the 1994 bombing of a Jewish centre in Argentina.

State-run Iranian media also said British troops in Iraq are holding two Iranian documentary filmmakers – Saeed Aboutaleb and Soheil Karimi.

“The continued detention of Soleimanpour and the two documentary filmmakers will leave very destructive effects on the two countries’ relations,” Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi said.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran is sensitive about the fate of its nationals,” Kharrazi told British counterpart Jack Straw by phone.

On Wednesday, the British Embassy in Tehran closed after shots were fired at the building. No one was injured.

The Foreign Office said the embassy was closed for security reasons, but diplomatic relations had not been downgraded.

Last week, a London court ordered Soleimanpour remain in custody until his extradition case beings on September 19. Tehran called for his release, saying the charges are politically motivated.

Iran recalled its ambassador to London for ”consultations” after initial diplomatic efforts to free Soleimanpour failed.