London: Iran has blocked access to a British
government website aimed at Iranian audiences in a new act of
aggression against the UK, Britain`s Foreign Secretary said
on Thursday.
William Hague claimed that the website the online
presence of Britain`s now shuttered embassy in Tehran had been
deliberately targeted by the Iranian regime.
The decision to disrupt access to the site follows the
violent storming of Britain`s embassy by demonstrators last
month, when a mob trashed rooms, damaged furniture, scrawled
graffiti and tore up a portrait of Queen Victoria, as staff
took shelter.
Hague pulled British diplomats out of Iran for their own
safety and made the rare decision to expel all Iranian
diplomats from UK soil.
The British website contained information for Iranian
hoping to visit Britain and details on UK government policies.
Those trying to access the pages are now directed to a list of
Iranian government approved websites, including Iran`s
English-language Press TV.
"This action is counterproductive and ill-judged. It will
confirm to the Iranian people that their government is
determined to block their access to information, and to
conceal from them the international community`s legitimate
concerns about Iran`s policies and behaviour.
It will also make it harder for Iranian nationals to
access information about visiting the UK," Hague said.
He said the action provided further proof of "the Iranian
government`s dire record on freedom of speech and human rights
in general."
PTI
