Iran says British embassy staff to go on trial

Iran said on Friday that some local British embassy staff arrested for allegedly playing a role in post-election violence will be put on trial as the European Union said it was seeking ways to object to Iran's crackdown on opposition.

The head of Iran's powerful Guardians Council, Ahmad Jannati, said embassy staff have "made confessions" and said "in these incidents, their embassy had a presence, some people were arrested. Naturally they will be put on trial."

Minutes later, Britain said it was "concerned" and was seeking clarification about the announcement.

"We are concerned and we are checking the reports," a Foreign Office spokeswoman said. "Allegations that our staff were fomenting unrest are wholly without foundation."

"We will be seeking an urgent explanation from the Iranians."

According to the British government, seven of nine local staff originally detained by the Iranian authorities have now been released.

Iran accused the embassy employees of instigating riots in the unrest that erupted over the disputed re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, which was ratified on Monday by the Guardians Council.

Britain has rejected the allegations as baseless and demanded the immediate release of the staff still in detention.

In his first speech since the unrest began, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei slammed Britain as the "most evil" or the Islamic Republic's enemies, which Prime Minister Gordon Brown said was "unfortunate" as tension between the two nations rose.

"Allegations that our staff were fomenting unrest are wholly without foundation...We will be seeking an urgent explanation from the Iranians

Foreign Office spokesperson

EU summons envoys

Meanwhile, EU nations summoned Iranian envoys in protest over the detention of British embassy employees in Tehran as the bloc said it was studying steps to protest at Iran's crackdown on dissent, including visa bans on Iranian officials.

"They've summoned the Iranian diplomats. It's happening during the day, some have already summoned the envoy there," the diplomat said.

The European diplomat said Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the EU, had called his Iranian counterpart Manouchehr Mottaki earlier this week.

The diplomat did not mention a separate proposal that EU nations withdraw their ambassadors from Iran and a second EU diplomat said he did not expect agreement on that.

Action by Iranian security forces against demonstrators who charged the election had been rigged in favour of Ahmadinejad has drawn Western condemnation.

EU foreign ministers last week warned of a "strong and collective response" against intimidation of diplomatic staff.

They've summoned the Iranian diplomats. It's happening during the day, some have already summoned the envoy there

EU diplomat