Iranians protest profaning of holy sites, attack British embassy

By: Sheikh Muhammad Khurasani

TEHRAN, Iran: Thousands of Iranians at the call of the authorities marched through the capital, Tehran, on Wednesday to demonstrate against US and British “crimes” on Iraqi soil and the profaning of holy sites.

Chanting anti-US, -Britain slogans, the protestors rallied outside the British Embassy where some hurled petrol bombs at the wall surrounding the embassy. A home-made grenade landed in the embassy garden and exploded, while Molotov cocktails burst against cement blocks placed in front of the building, before security forces charged the protestors with clubs.

There were no reported injuries from the demonstration at the embassy of Britain, America's closest ally in Iraq, but some of the building's windows were broken. Police made no arrests.

The United States has no embassy in Iran, having severed ties with Iran after Iranian people seized the US Embassy in November 1979.

Protesters burned US flags and effigies of US President Bush and British Prime Minister Blair across the capital on Wednesday.

In addition to expressing anger over damage to the Imam Ali (AS) shrine in Najaf, which received four holes in its golden dome during fighting Friday, the demonstrators condemned the presence of US-led coalition forces in Iraq and abuse of Iraqi prisoners by US soldiers.

END

Iran’s supreme leader flays US aggression on holy sites

TEHRAN, Iran: Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatullah Ali Khamenei has called the US disrespect to the Muslim sanctities as an impudent, shameless and imbecile act making clear the world Muslim community and the Iraqi people will not remain silent against the insolents.

FULL STORY..