Britain outraged by inclusion of embassy official in Iran mass trial

August 9th, 2009 TEHRAN - Britain's troubled relations with Iran suffered a further setback as a British embassy official confessed to spying during a trial in Tehran, saying that Britain had provided financial assistance to Iran's reformists to weaken the hardline clerical regime during the disputed presidential elections in June this year. Hossein Rassam, a political analyst with the embassy, said the embassy had allocated a budget of 300,000 pounds to set up links with political groups, individuals and activists.

August 8th, 2009 Iran brings Frenchwoman, embassy staff to trialTEHRAN, Iran —A young French academic and local employees of the British and French embassies appeared before an Iranian judge Saturday along with dozens of opposition figures accused of involvement in the country's postelection unrest. The extraordinary mass trial in Tehran's Revolutionary Court demonstrates the government's resolve to discredit Iran's pro-reform movement as a tool of foreign countries — particularly Britain and the United States — trying to spark a revolution to topple Iran's Islamic system.

August 8th, 2009 UK says its embassy staffer on trial in TehranLONDON —Britain's Foreign Office says a staff member at its embassy in Iran has been put on trial in Tehran. The ministry says it saw Hossein Rassam pictured among those accused at a mass trial that began Saturday in the Iranian capital, though Rassam had been released from detention in July.

August 8th, 2009 French woman, embassy staff confess in Iran trialTEHRAN, Iran —A young French academic and local staff of the British and French embassies stood trial Saturday with dozens of Iranian opposition figures and confessed to being involved in the country's postelection unrest. Iran's opposition and rights groups have condemned the trial as a sham and say such confessions are coerced and scripted.

July 20th, 2009 LONDON - Iran has released the last British Embassy official, who was held three weeks ago on the alleged charges of being behind last month's post-election violence in the country. Hossein Rassam, an Iranian national, worked at the Embassy as an expert on Iranian politics.

July 19th, 2009 TEHRAN - Iran Sunday freed a British embassy staffer, the last of nine arrested on suspicion in fomenting dissent after alleged fraud in Iran's June 12 presidential elections. Hossein Rassam, chief analyst of the British embassy, had been detained for more than three weeks.

July 6th, 2009 LONDON - One of the last two British Embassy employees, held in Iran on the alleged charges of being behind last month's post-election violence in the country, has been released. The British Foreign Office on Monday confirmed the news, but added that embassy's chief political analyst Hossein Rassam is still under detention.

July 5th, 2009 TEHRAN - Iran is set to use a travel advisory posted on the British Foreign Office's website as evidence against a British Embassy employee in the political plot trial. British embassy's chief political analyst Hossein Rassam, 44, was accused of being a British agent provocateur behind last month's post-election street protests, the Telegraph reports.

June 29th, 2009 TEHRAN - Iran is not planning to downgrade diplomatic ties with Britain or any European country, foreign ministry spokesman Hassan Ghashghavi said Monday. Police arrested eight Iranian staff members of the British embassy in Tehran Sunday, a move condemned by British Foreign Minister David Miliband.

June 29th, 2009 LONDON - The Gordon Brown Government in Britain has reacted to the arrest of at least eight Iranians working for the British Embassy in Tehran, calling the move unacceptable "harassment and intimidation". According to The Times, the eight, who are thought to work in the embassy's political section, are accused of playing a "significant role" in opposition protests.

June 28th, 2009 TEHRAN - Iran has arrested eight local staff members of the British embassy in Tehran for alleged involvement in demonstrations over the June 12 presidential election, Fars news agency reported Sunday. Iran accuses Western agents of inciting unrest and interfering in internal political matters.

June 23rd, 2009 Britain expels 2 Iranian diplomatsLONDON — Britain's government says it has expelled two Iranian diplomats in retaliation for Tehran's decision to order out two staff members from the British Embassy in Tehran. The Foreign Office said Tuesday that Tehran's decision was baseless and unjustifiable.

June 23rd, 2009 Britain expels 2 Iranian diplomats in retaliationLONDON — Britain expelled two Iranian diplomats Tuesday in retaliation for Iran's decision to order out two staff members from the British Embassy in Tehran. Prime Minister Gordon Brown told lawmakers that Tehran's decision was unjustified.

June 23rd, 2009 LONDON - Britain would expel two Iranian diplomats after the Iranian government ordered two British diplomats to leave the country, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Tuesday. Brown told parliament that the allegations made against the two British diplomats were "absolutely without foundation".

June 22nd, 2009 Britain evacuating families of staff in IranLONDON — Britain's Foreign Office said Monday it was evacuating the families of staff based in Iran amid continued violence in the wake of the country's disputed election. The decision came after repeated criticism of Britain by Iranian leaders, and an increasingly tense atmosphere following angry clashes between demonstrators and security officials.