Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he was expelling the Iranian diplomats from their embassy in London after Tehran on Monday said it was expelling two British envoys.

Brown said Tehran's decision to throw out the British envoys was based on allegations that "were absolutely without foundation." He did not elaborate what those allegations were.

Iranian authorities have repeatedly accused Western governments, particularly Britain and the United States as well as UN Chief Ban Ki-moon of meddling in its internal affairs.

At least five European nations called in Iranian envoys on Tuesday to express their concerns over Tehran's excessive violence used against protesters: France, the Czech Republic – which holds the rotating EU presidency – Finland, the Netherlands and Sweden on Tuesday

Britain on Monday also announced it was pulling the families of embassy staff out of Tehran after vigilantes threatened to attack its premises there.

At least 17 people have been killed in mass protests that broke out in Tehran since elections returned President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to power two weeks ago.

London think-tank Chatham House has published a statistical analysis of the vote that backs up accusation by opposition supporters that the election was rigged. In many regions, more ballots had been cast than there were eligible voters. The unrest that has broken out since is posing the most serious challenge to the Islamic government in 30 years.

wl/AP/AFP
Editor: Andreas Illmer