Iranian Judges Call For Expulsion Of UK Ambassador

Iran's judiciary has called for the expulsion of the UK Ambassador to Tehran.

Rob Macaire was briefly detained by police in the Iranian capital on Saturday after attending a vigil for the victims of the crash which killed 176 people on Ukrainian International Airlines flight 752.

Mr Macaire has been labelled 'persona non grata' by Iranian judges, accused of failing to respect the Islamic republic's laws.

Iranian media reported that judiciary spokesman Gholam Hossein Esmaeili said Mr Macaire had not respected the nation's laws and should be expelled.

An effigy of the ambassador was seen being burnt by hardliners alongside a British flag during protests, according to reports.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told MPs the UK has had "no formal indication" of the move which he said would be "deeply regrettable”.

'Mistaken identity'

The passenger jet was shot down by Iranian military forces on 8 January.

Iranian forces say they mistook it for a hostile target, following a ballistic missile attack on two bases housing UK and US troops in Iraq.

The attack came after the US killed top Iranian General, Qassem Soleimani, in an air strike on Baghdad airport.

Cover image: a picture of top Iranian General Qasem Soleimani is seen in Tehran, Iran (Picture: PA).