Iran summons UK envoy over embassy flag incident – media

Tehran has reportedly issued a protest after an anti-government activist tore down its flag

Iran has summoned the British ambassador in Tehran after its flag was torn down from the embassy in London, several Iranian government-linked outlets have reported.

The incident occurred on Saturday when members of the Iranian diaspora gathered outside the embassy in Kensington to show support for the protests in Iran. An activist climbed the wall, removed the Islamic Republic’s flag, and displayed Iran’s pre-1979 royal flag, featuring a lion and Sun, from the balcony above the main entrance.

The royal-era flag is often used by Iranians abroad to protest the Islamic government. The embassy later restored the flag, posting on X: “Iran’s flag is flying high.”

The moment Spiderman tore down the Islamic Republic flag at Iran's embassy in London, and raised the lion and sun flag ????

pic.twitter.com/2C2QSavLl6

— Dr. Eli David (@DrEliDavid) January 10, 2026

The British ambassador was summoned after “the Iranian Embassy in London was disrespected by displacing the Iranian flag,” the semi-official IRNA News Agency reported, citing the Foreign Ministry. Alireza Yousefi, the director-general for Western Europe at Iran’s Foreign Ministry, delivered a “strong protest” to the UK diplomat.

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The UK Foreign Office denied that Ambassador Hugo Shorter was formally summoned, with ITV citing sources as saying he only “had a meeting” at the Foreign Ministry. London police said officers made arrests for aggravated trespass and assault on an emergency worker following the incident.

The protests in Iran began on December 28 after the national currency collapsed, triggering sharp increases in food and staple prices. Demonstrations quickly escalated into riots and clashes with security forces, reportedly resulting in hundreds of deaths.