Some British Embassy staff members to be tried, Iranian cleric says

By The Associated Press

TEHRAN, Iran — A top Iranian cleric said Friday that some of the detained Iranian staff members of the British Embassy in Tehran will be put on trial, and he accused Britain of a role in instigating widespread protests that broke out over the country's disputed presidential election.

The announcement by Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati alarmed European nations and fueled calls for tougher action against Tehran. Britain is pressing for members of the European Union to pull their ambassadors out of Tehran to protest the arrest of its embassy staff last week - a step that the EU so far has hesitated to take.

After Jannati's comments, French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Friday expressed backing for Britain, saying "our solidarity with our English friends is total." He said France backs sanctions "so that Iranian leaders will really understand that the path that they have chosen will be a dead end."

The United States and Europe have been wary of reacting too harshly in Iran's post-election crisis, even as the government cracked down heavily on protests that broke out following the declaration of a landslide victory for incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the June 12 presidential election. The West has been hoping to keep open prospects for future dialogue with Tehran - particularly over its nuclear program.

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