Britain has ordered the immediate closure of the Iranian embassy in London and has closed its embassy in Tehran, following a mob attack Tuesday on British embassy compounds in the Iranian capital.
In Syria, the killings continue, even as over 900 prisoners are released. The international community continues condemnation.
Egyptian voters are awaiting results of the first stage of landmark parliamentary elections to be released Thursday, a day later than originally planned. The party which represents the Muslim Brotherhood claims the lead.
Turkey says it would shift its Middle East trade routes to go through Iraq, cutting out Syria as a transit country if unrest there worsens and embargoes against Damascus go into effect. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is in stable condition and resting at home after undergoing successful abdominal surgery.
Details after the break.
Iran
Britain has ordered the immediate closure of the Iranian embassy in London and has closed its embassy in Tehran, following a mob attack Tuesday on British embassy compounds in the Iranian capital.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague announced the decision in parliament Wednesday.
He said Iran's diplomatic staff has been ordered to leave the United Kingdom within 48 hours.
“If any country makes it impossible for us to operate on their soil, they cannot expect to have a functioning embassy here.”
Hague added that Britain's response is not an indication it is severing ties with Iran. However, he said the action reduces relations with Iran to the “lowest level consistent with the maintenance of diplomatic relations.”
On Tuesday, British Prime Minister David Cameron said Iran faced “serious consequences” for failing to defend the British compounds from protesters who smashed embassy windows and ransacked offices as police looked on.
The Iranian protesters had gathered in a reflection of government anger at British financial sanctions imposed on Iran last week.
Britain, the United States and Canada announced coordinated sanctions in response to Iran's pursuit of a nuclear program that U.N. experts say appears designed to build weapons. Iran says its nuclear program is peaceful.
Iranian parliament speaker Ali Larijani said Wednesday that Iranian police tried to maintain calm during the assaults in Tehran.
“This anger was the outpouring of several decades of exploitative actions by England in Iran. Part of it dated back to early periods of constitutional revolution (1905) and part of it was because of (UK's) role in strengthening the Pahlavid dynasty. After the revolution which caused England to lose its influence, they continued their animosity with the Iranian nation.”
He also said the protests reflected ongoing Iranian discontent with Britain.
The attacks drew more international criticism Wednesday.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's office said he expressed shock and outrage as he met with a British official during an aid conference in South Korea.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton strongly condemned the embassy assault as an “affront not only to the British people but also to the international community.”
China's foreign ministry said the assault was “contrary” to international law and norms and should be dealt with “appropriately.” It was a rare Chinese criticism of Iran, a key supplier of energy to the Chinese economy.
France recalled its ambassador to Iran for consultations. The foreign ministry said the move was a result of Tehran's “flagrant and unacceptable violation” of international diplomacy guidelines.
Germany also recalled its ambassador from Iran.
Norway has closed its diplomatic mission in Tehran following Tuesday's mob assaults on the British facilities.
Syria
Syria on Wednesday released 912 prisoners, while the country's embattled leadership continued with a deadly crackdown on dissent, despite a flood of fresh sanctions.
The government said the released people were involved in the “latest events” but were not linked to what it alleged were “murders” stemming from the opposition uprising and state crackdown.
Activists said new clashes in the flashpoint Daraa province killed at least six civilians and seven Syrian troops Wednesday as security forces pushed into the area.
The head of the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told VOA that fighting erupted in the town of Dael and that witnesses heard a loud explosion as army vehicles were blown up.
The latest violence came as Syria faces a barrage of new international sanctions.
Turkey suspended all financial credit dealings with Damascus Wednesday and froze its government's assets. Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the measures include cutting off links with Syria's central bank, banning the delivery of weapons to the country and suspending the bilateral strategic cooperation agreement.
Washington praised Turkey's action. White House National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor said that “the leadership shown by Turkey in response to the brutality and violation of the fundamental rights of the Syrian people will send a strong message to President Bashar al-Assad and his circle that their actions are unacceptable and will not be tolerated.”
The world's largest Islamic body, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, on Wednesday urged Syria to cooperate with the Arab League and allow a team of observers access to the country. It also called on Syrian authorities to immediately stop the use of excessive force against its citizens.
In New York, human rights group Amnesty International held a protest outside the United Nations building Wednesday, calling for the U.N. Security Council to refer Syria's deadly crackdown on protests to the International Criminal Court.
Amnesty's Maha Abu Shama told reporters “it is high time for the U.N. body to take decisive action against Damascus” for what the group called “crimes against humanity.”
The U.N. Human Rights Council will hold an urgent meeting in Geneva Friday to discuss the situation in Syria. The U.N. says violence related to the uprising has killed at least 3,500 people, mostly civilians.
Syria has refused to end the crackdown, calling it a necessary response to attacks by “armed terrorists” on civilians and security personnel.
Egypt
Egyptian voters are awaiting results of the first stage of landmark parliamentary elections to be released Thursday, a day later than originally planned.
The Freedom and Justice Party, a front for Egypt's powerful Muslim Brotherhood, said the bloc was in the lead following largely peaceful voting on Monday and Tuesday. But the party faces new competition from the al-Nur Party, an ultra-conservative group whose members follow the strict Salafi brand of Islam, as well as from a host of smaller parties.
The FJP challenged Egypt's military rulers by claiming high voter turnout signified a popular demand for civilian rule. The military leadership hailed round one as a success.
U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon congratulated Egyptians for what he called their “enthusiastic participation at the ballot box.”
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton congratulated Egyptians on a “peaceful, successful start to their election process.” She said “Egyptians are justifiably proud to begin the process of choosing their new leaders.” She said the American people will continue to stand by the people of Egypt as they move toward a democratically elected civilian government that respects universal human rights and will meet their aspirations for dignity, freedom, and a better life.
The historic elections will determine whether Egypt moves away from decades of authoritarian secular rule, and down a different — possibly Islamic — path.
At least 42 people were killed and more than 3,000 injured in clashes between protesters and security forces in the lead-up to the election.
Full tallies for the lower house will not be announced until January, after two more rounds of voting in the rest of the country. The entire election will not be over until March.
Turkey
Turkey says it would shift its Middle East trade routes to go through Iraq, cutting out Syria as a transit country if unrest there worsens and embargoes against Damascus go into effect.
Transport Minister Binali Yildirim said Tuesday his country would open new border crossings with Iraq if necessary in order to facilitate the shift in regional land shipments.
Syria has been the main transit route for Middle East trade, which Damascus hopes would dampen the effects of tough new sanctions from the Arab League and European Union.
Ankara has backed the league's measures and is soon expected to announce its own sanctions on Syria, with whom it shares an 800 kilometer border. Yildirim said the planned measures would be selectively imposed in order not to harm the Syrian people.
Onetime allies Turkey and Syria abolished visa requirements in 2009 and had planned to raise their trade volume from the current $2.5 billion to $5 billion in 2012.
Also Tuesday, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Ankara may set up a buffer zone along its border with Syria in coordination with the international community if hundreds of thousands of people attempt to flee the violence there for Turkey.
Davutoglu told a Turkish television channel that "if the oppression continues" in Syria, Ankara is ready "for every scenario."
He said the Syrian government must make peace with its own people and that a regime that tortures its citizens has no chance to survive.
Turkey has so far accommodated about 7,500 Syrian refugees in tents along the Syrian border.
Meanwhile, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is in stable condition and resting at home after undergoing successful abdominal surgery.
Turkey's Anatolia news agency quoted Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc on Wednesday as saying the 57-year-old Erdogan is expected to return to his duties soon.
Erdogan underwent laproscopic surgery on his digestive system Saturday and was released from the hospital Tuesday evening.
Erdogan and Turkish President Abdullah Gul are scheduled to meet with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden in Ankara on Friday.
All content based on VOA News reports.
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