Britain's government on Sunday dismissed Iranian demands for an apology for the arrest of its former ambassador to Argentina, insisting that the proceedings were "in no way politically motivated". Tehran has reacted with anger to the detention of Hadi Soleimanpur, who was arrested in Durham, northeast England on Thursday.
On Saturday, the foreign ministry summoned both Argentine and British charges d'affaires, Ernesto Alvarez and Matthew Gould, to protest strongly against Soleimanpur's arrest. Iran told Alvarez on Saturday that it was slapping economic sanctions on Argentina over the affair. "We think Iran may be planning to magnify the issue, which could lead to an escalation in measures, leading ultimately to a breakoff of relations," an Argentine government source told the private news agency NA. Gould, in the absence of British ambassador Richard Dalton, was summoned again to the foreign ministry Sunday to be questioned about London's response to Tehran's request for the former diplomat's immediate release, Iranian state radio said. Britain has remanded Soleimanpur in custody until late August when a London court will rule on an Argentine extradition request. Khatami warned that the Islamic republic would never accept an extradition and "let this ugly and lying conspiracy take place." |