IRANIAN CRISIS

EU will pull ambassadors

07-02-2009 | AP

Panama Star STOCKHOLM. The European Union was preparing Wednesday to debate a British request to pull ambassadors of all 27 EU nations from Iran in protest over the detention of Iranian staff at the British Embassy in Tehran.

The detentions last week cranked up Iran's standoff with the West over its bloody crackdown on opposition protesters who disputed the results of last month's presidential election.

In a further sign of deteriorating ties, Iran said Wednesday the EU had disqualified itself from talks over Tehran's nuclear program because of its "interference" in the post-election unrest. Iran accuses the EU of supporting the anti-government rallies.

On the day his government assumed the EU's rotating presidency, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt said he hoped Iran's leaders "will make the right choice" in avoiding confrontation with the international community.

Reinfeldt said the EU was closing ranks with Britain denouncing the detention by Iran of nine local British Embassy employees in Tehran.

Sweden assumed the EU's presidency on Wednesday, and will hold it for six months.

EU nations have increased criticism of Iran's crackdown on protesters who allege the June 12 presidential vote was rigged in favor of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.