Ambassador: Iran sanctioned embassy siege

Britain's ambassador to Iran says this week's siege of the embassy in Tehran clearly had the backing of the Iranian government, Sky News reported. Dominick Chilcott made his first public statement to the British broadcaster after Tuesday's attack that caused instant diplomatic payback as the British government closed the embassy and ordered Iranian diplomats out of Britain. Describing the incident in which the embassy and residential compound was stormed and trashed, Chilcott said the lack of response from Iranian security forces painted a clear picture. "Iran is not the sort of country where spontaneously a demonstration congregates then attacks a foreign embassy," the ambassador said. "That sort of activity is only done with the acquiescence and support of the state." Chilcott said embassy staff followed emergency procedures by heading for safe areas known as keeps. "The keeps are designed to keep them safe for a certain limited time until the police arrive," he said. "But what nobody knew then was that the police weren't going to arrive -- they were waiting to let the intruders do what they wanted to do." The embassy was ransacked and the attackers also torched a ground floor area. Chilcott said within the constraints of diplomacy, the staff were vulnerable. "At the end of the day, if the state decides that you're fair game, there's no protection on Earth that you can provide yourself," he said.