The British government said Tuesday that it had summoned the Iranian ambassador in response to what it called “unacceptable and inflammatory comments” posted by the Iranian Embassy on social media.
The summons, a formal diplomatic tool, comes as the relationship between Britain and Iran has grown particularly fraught amid the war in the Middle East. The British authorities have increasingly been warning of a rise in threats from hostile states, including Iran and Russia.
Earlier this week, Iran’s embassy in London posted a statement on its Telegram channel that invited Iranians living in Britain to register for what it described as “Sacrifice for the Homeland” campaign.
The embassy encouraged “all proud sons and daughters of Iran” to “demonstrate unity, loyalty, and national pride in a unified framework,” and ended: “Let us all stand together, ready to sacrifice our lives, for it is better than surrendering our country to the enemy.”
The embassy statement was unclear about what might be asked of Iranians who volunteered.
Britain’s foreign office said in a statement on Tuesday that Hamish Falconer, the minister for the Middle East, had made clear to the Iranian ambassador “that these actions and comments were completely unacceptable, and that the embassy must cease any form of communications that could be interpreted as encouraging violence in the U.K. or internationally.” » | Megan Specia | Reporting from London | Tuesday, April 28, 2026
