UK Ambassador Tells Of Iran Embassy Attack

Britain's ambassador to Iran has described how seven of his staff were seized by protesters during a "very frightening" attack on UK compounds in Tehran.

Dominick Chilcott said some workers and their relatives were sent to the embassy's residential complex in the north of the city for their safety before the protests - but ended up being taken by demonstrators who surged through security.

One worker barricaded himself in one of the "keeps" - parts of the compound designed to block out intruders until police arrive - for 45 minutes before he was overcome.

It comes as it was confirmed the final Iranian diplomats had left Britain after the US and European Union imposed tougher sanctions on the country over its nuclear programme.

Mr Chilcott said staff were in a worse predicament than those in the main embassy building because they had gone there thinking it was a "place of safety", so when the attack happened it was "more of a surprise".

He added: "I think this made it more difficult for them generally.

"They did follow the well-established procedures, which was to try and get out of the compound if they could and two of our staff did manage to get out, although they got into a car and they were chased to the gate and just got out before the invaders reached them.

"So, it must have been really frightening for them. The others did what they had to do, which was go into the safe areas, what we call the keeps, and locked themselves in.

"The keeps are designed to keep them safe for a certain limited time until the police arrive. But what nobody knew then was that the police weren't going arrive, they were waiting to let the intruders do what they wanted to do.

"One of our staff was in his own in his keep and he barricaded the door with a heavy safe and a bed, and braced himself against the wall.

"And, for 45 minutes, he could hear people bashing down the door, smashing the windows and trying to get in because they knew he was there.

"It must have been a very frightening experience - until eventually the door gave way and they got him.

"Then our staff, in the end there were seven altogether, and they were taken to one of the properties and they were made to sit silently, they were not allowed to talk in the room by the invaders, without really knowing what was going on.

"It must have been a troubling experience. They were quite roughly handled, one or two of them, as well."