Iran braces for protests after admitting plane shootdown

Iran deployed riot police in capital on Sunday expecting possible protests after its Revolutionary Guard mitted to accidentally shooting down a passenger plane at a time of soaring tensions with United States.

Riot police and plainclos officers could be seen massing in Vali-e Asr Square in Tehran as calls circulated for protests later in day. A large black banner unveiled in square bore names of those killed in plane crash.

plane crash early Wednesday killed all 176 people on board, mostly Iranians and Iranian-Canians. After initially blaming a technical failure, authorities

plane was shot down as Iran braced for retaliation after firing ballistic missiles at two bases in Iraq housing American forces. ballistic missile attack, which caused casualties, was a response to killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, Iran's top general, in a U.S. airstrike in Baghd.

Iranians have expressed anger over downing of plane and misleing explanations from senior officials in wake of trdy.

A candlelight ceremony late Saturday in Tehran turned into a protest, with hundreds of people chanting against country's leers — including Supreme Leer Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — and police dispersing m with tear gas.

Police briefly detained British ambassor to Iran, Rob Macaire, who says he went with intention of attending vigil and did t kw it would turn into a protest.

“Can confirm I wasn’t taking part in any demonstrations!” he tweeted. “Went to an event vertised as a vigil for victims of #PS752 trdy. rmal to want to pay respects — some of victims were British. I left after 5 mins, when some started chanting.”

He said he was arrested 30 minutes after leaving area.

Britain said its envoy was detained “without grounds or explanation” and in “flagrant violation of international law.”

“ Iranian government is at a cross-ros moment. It can continue its march towards pariah status with all political and ecomic isolation that entails, or take steps to deescalate tensions and eng in a diplomatic path forwards,” Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement.

Iran's Foreign Ministry said it was awaiting a police report on arrest.

semi-official Tasnim news ncy cited an unnamed official as saying ambassor was suspected of organizing and provoking protesters, which it said was in violation of diplomatic protocol and justified his arrest on national security grounds.

It said he was taken to Foreign Ministry, which later released him.

Alaeddin Boroujerdi, a member of Iran's parliamentary committee on national security and foreign policy, also accused ambassor of organizing protests and called for his expulsion.

Iranian media meanwhile focused on mission of responsibility for crash, with several newspapers calling for those responsible to apologize and resign.

hardline daily Vatan-e Emrouz bore front-p heline, “A sky full of sness,” while Hamshahri daily went with “Shame,” and IRAN daily said “Unforgivable.”