By Uche Mbah
The Iranian authorities, in another diplomatic blunder, arrested and detained the British Ambassador to Iran.
Although no official reason has been given for the arrest and detention, The Independent of London reports that he was arrested on his way back to the Embassy from a planned Virgil for the victims of the Ukrainian Air crash that claimed 176 lives. The Virgil had degenerated into violent protests with Iranians calling for the removal of the supreme leader Ayatollah Kahmeini due to the bungling of the Crash affairs. The Ambassador had to leave, but was later arrested on his way back to the embassy.
Recall that the crash has pitched the Iranian government with countries whose nationals died in the crash due to their untidy information handling of the crash. Three British nationals died in the crash.
The Ambassador was released after a few hours, after frantic calls from the UK foreign office to the Iraqi government.
The Iranian Tasmin News, however, claimed that he was arrested “for organizing suspicious movements and protests in front of Amir Kabir university but released after hours”. Tasmin News, which is said to be linked with the Iranian Islamic revolutionary guard also said he will be summoned the following day.
Dominic Raab, British Foreign secretary, called the arrest a “flagrant violation of International Law” since, according to him, it was done without “grounds or explanations”.
The Iranian government is at a crossroads moment”, he was quoted to have said. “It can continue its march towards pariah status with all the political and economic isolation that it entails, or take steps to de-escalate tension and engage in a diplomatic path forward”.’
Since the killing of the Iranian General, Qassem Soleimani, Iran have taken several missteps that caught them in diplomatic cul-de-sac. First, they bombed the two empty American military bases in Iraq, claiming to have killed about 80 Americans. With statements from the US indicating that they lost no soldier, Iran revised their statements saying they never intended for there to be casualties in the first place. Then they shut down a Ukrainian Airline carrying majorly their own citizens and denied it only later to own up and apologize over it.
