Iran releases 5 British Embassy staffers

TEHRAN, June 29 (UPI) -- Five of eight British Embassy workers arrested in Tehran on accusations of fomenting post-election demonstrations were freed Monday, Iranian officials said.

The weekend arrests prompted widespread criticism from Western governments.

During a news conference Monday, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said the three employees still detained were being interrogated, The Times of London reported.

The arrests were condemned by British Foreign Secretary David Miliband and European Union ministers who demanded the employees' immediate release, saying Tehran would provoke a "strong and collective response" if the staffers remained detained, the Times reported.

Spokesman Hassan Ghashghavi said Iran doesn't plan to close embassies or downgrade diplomatic ties with other nations. Iran has accused Western nations, especially Britain and the United States of "meddling" in the Middle Eastern country's disputed election and the demonstrations that ensued. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was declared the landslide winner over his nearest challenger, Mir Hossein Mousavi, who claimed ballot fraud.

"These are hard-working diplomatic staff and the idea that the British Embassy is somehow behind the demonstrations and protests that have been taking place in Tehran in recent weeks is wholly without foundation," Miliband said.

Iranian sources said that the eight arrested worked for the embassy's political section, but British officials would not confirm the information, the Times said. The British Embassy employs about 100 Iranians in positions such as political advisers, consular officials, translators and security guards.