Britain withdraws all embassy staff from Iran: Diplomats

Evacuation decided after Iranian protesters overran diplomatic compounds, tearing down flag, trashing embassy offices.

TEHRAN: Britain was Wednesday withdrawing all its embassy staff from Iran following the storming of its mission by Iranian protesters the day before, Western diplomatic sources told AFP.

A first group of embassy employees was already at Tehran airport about to be flown to Dubai, one European diplomat said.

The evacuation was decided after Iranian protesters, some chanting "Death to Britain", overran Britain's two diplomatic compounds in Tehran, tearing down the British flag and trashing embassy offices.

The protesters were reflecting official anger at Britain's decision last week to cut all relations with Iran's financial sector as part of a raft of new sanctions unveiled in coordination with the United States and Canada.

The storming of Britain's embassy sparked international condemnation, including a strongly worded statement from the UN Security Council.