New demonstrations outside British Embassy in Tehran

TEHRAN (AFP) Apr 09, 2003
For a third consecutive day, dozens of conservative Iranian students gathered Wednesday outside the British embassy to protest against the war in Iraq, throwing eggs at the embassy compound.

"Death to the US, death to Britain" they chanted, calling for the embassy to be occupied as the US embassy was after the Islamic revolution in 1979.

"No blood for oil", read a placard.

The protestors, who barely numbered 100, comprised mainly members of the Basij Islamic militia from Imam Sadegh University.

They also denounced the "occupation of Najaf and Karbala by the American forces".

The holiest Shiite shrines are the mausoleums of the Imam Ali and Imam Hussein, in Najaf and Karbala, respectively.

More than 60 percent of Iraqis and 90 percent of Iranians are Shitte Muslims.

The protestors also called for the expulsion of the British ambassador and burned US and British flags as they did on previous days.

SPACE.WIRE