Small blasts rock British embassy

Tehran: Several small blasts rocked the British embassy in Iran and smoke rose from inside the compound in central Tehran on Sunday during a protest over 15 detained sailors and marines, but no one was hurt.

Britain said no damage had been done and no one was hurt in the protest by about 200 people, mainly students. Each blastsent a small plume of smoke into the air, according to witnesses.

One witness cited eight blasts saying they came from small, home-made explosive devices.

Iran ignored growing international pressure to release the 15 sailors and marines, saying London should change its behaviour over the nine-day-old stand-off.

Witnesses in Tehran said the blasts were heard as demonstrators surged toward a barrier in the middle of the road near the

embassy and crossed into the lines of police, some of them wearing riot gear. But the demonstrators were pushed back.

"British, British, death to you, death to you," some of the demonstrators chanted, as some hurled stones at the embassy.

One witness saw a small scuffle between police and some of the protestors.

They also demanded that the Iranian government expel the British ambassador and close down the embassy, calling it a "den of spies."

Britain's Foreign Office said there had been no damage to the compound.

A British Foreign Office spokeswoman in London, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with government rules, said diplomats were working normally inside the embassy.

"There is a police presence outside and there is no risk to those inside," said the spokeswoman.

Iran captured the 15 Britons on March 23, accusing them of illegally entering the Islamic Republic's territorial waters.

Britain says the sailors were seized in Iraqi waters.