A hard-line Islamist cleric in Iran threatened the British ambassador to the country, saying that supporters of former Iranian Revolutionary Guard leader Qasem Soleimani would “chop him to small pieces.”
Ayatollah Ahmad Alamolhoda, an extreme Islamic cleric, addressing Shiite Muslims in the eastern holy city of Mashhad in Iran, condemned the presence of United Kindom ambassador Rob Macaire in the country, following the ambassador’s arrest in Tehran on Saturday.
The Ayatollah said that if Iran were to expel the British diplomat it would be “the best thing that can happen to him” as supporters of Qassem Soleimani would “chop him to small pieces” if Macaire remained, according to Sky News.
Alamolhoda’s comments were bolstered by Iran’s judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili, who said on state television: “Based on international regulations, the British ambassador in Iran is an undesirable element.”
A cardboard depiction of the British ambassador was also burned in effigy at the University of Tehran at a memorial service for the victims of the Ukranian passenger flight that was shot down by the Islamist regime.
The effigy was set on fire along with American and British flags by a local Shiite militia loyal to the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei.
The ambassador was detained in Iran on Saturday by police after attending a vigil for 176 victims of the Ukranian passenger plane that was “unintentionally” shot down by the Revolutionary Guard over Tehran.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said that the actions taken by Iran against the ambassador were in violation of the Vienna Convention and only served to emphasize the Islamist regime’s “pariah status” throughout the world.
“The Iranian government is at a crossroads moment. It can continue its march towards pariah status with all the political and economic isolation that entails or take steps to deescalate tensions and engage in a diplomatic path forward”, said Raab.
Ambassador Macaire has returned to the United Kingdom, although the Foreign and Commonwealth Office says the trip was long-planned and the ambassador will be returning to Iran “in the coming days”.
The news comes as Iranian President Hassan Rouhani threatened European military members in the region should the governments of the UK, Germany and France continue to challenge the regime on its violations of the 2015 nuclear deal.
“Today, the American soldier is in danger, tomorrow the European soldier could be in danger”, warned Rouhani.
Follow Kurt on Twitter at @KurtZindulka
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