Iran temporarily detains UK ambassador for participating in protests over Ukrainian plane crash

Tehran: British Ambassador to Iran Rob Macaire was arrested for several hours for organizing and participating in protests here on Saturday evening.

According to Tasnim news agency, Macaire was in a protest rally in front of the university in time of arrest.

A gathering of hundreds of students outside the Amirkabir University of Technology in Tehran to honour those killed in the fatal Ukrainian plane crash in Iran, resulted in a rally demanding the resignation and prosecution of those responsible for the Ukrainian Boeing 737 plane crash.

Later, the police dispersed the protesters, who demonstratively tore the portrait of slain Qasem Soleimani, commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, who died as a result of the US drone strike.

The news agency further reported that Macaire is accused of involvement in provoking some radical acts among protesters. He was freed a few hours later but will be summoned tomorrow for further explanations. (UNI)