Iranians still begrudge Britain for woes

TEHRAN, March 1 (UPI) -- The majority of Iranians believe that almost everything wrong in their country is rooted in fault with the British, The Guardian reported Wednesday.

The suspicion has long and deep roots, going back before 1979 when many believe Britain had a hand in ousting Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, allowing the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and his conservative mullahs to take control.

Even the deposed shah blamed the British for deposing his pro-German father before World War II, the report said.

"Historically, people believe Britain engineered the coup which brought to power Reza Khan, who became Reza Shah (the last shah's father)," said Mohammed Hossein Adeli, Iran's former ambassador to Britain.

Now, demonstrations by Islamic students outside the British Embassy in Tehran occur regularly, and Iranian authorities also blame Britain for a wave of bombings that has killed more than 20 people in the southern city of Ahvaz over the past year.