Miliband warns of 'consequences' for 'intimidation'

London: Foreign Secretary David Miliband said an eighth employee of the British embassy in Tehran was to be released yesterday and warned of "consequences" if Iran continues its "intimidation."

One person is still being held and "all of our efforts are now directed towards getting that person out," Miliband said in a British Broadcasting Corp television interview on Sunday.

"I spoke to our ambassador on our daily call last night and the good news is that he was told by the deputy foreign minister "of Iran" that the eighth person would indeed be released today, that the papers have been signed and that there would not be a court process or charges," Miliband said.

Miliband spoke after the lawyer for Hussain Rassam, a senior political adviser of the embassy, said Iranian authorities had charged the official with threatening national security. The move may escalate tensions with the European Union.

The Iranian government arrested nine local staff of the embassy a week ago on allegations they helped stoke the demonstrations that followed the disputed June 12 re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The protests were the largest since the 1979 Revolution.

Miliband called for Rassam to be released unharmed, saying he is "confident" about the way he was doing his job.

"What's important is that I turn my anger into determination that justice is done," he told the BBC's Andrew Marr show. "The allegation of improper conduct has absolutely no basis."

Iran has accused Britain and the US of inciting protests by Ahmadinejad's opponents, who say his re-election was rigged and demanded a new vote.

Miliband said the international community is united in its opposition towards "intimidation" from Tehran.