Norway shuts embassy in Iran after British mission attack

Nov 30, 2011 |

Oslo (Norway)

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Norway has closed its embassy in Tehran after the British mission in the Iranian capital was attacked by an angry mob, the government said on Wednesday.

Norway's diplomatic staff are still in Tehran and no decision has been taken to evacuate them, foreign ministry spokeswoman Hilde Steinfeld told AFP.

"The embassy was closed yesterday (Tuesday) after the attack on the British embassy," she said.

"We are continuously evaluating the situation," she said when asked how long the embassy would remain closed.

The diplomatic staff, which consists of a handful of Norwegian citizens, is still in Tehran, she said.

Asked about a possible evacuation, she said "it has been evaluated, but for now no such measure has been taken."

Britain said on Wednesday that some staff at its embassy in Tehran were being evacuated for their own safety after the storming of two British compounds in Tehran by protesters angry at new sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme.

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