Iranians pelt UK embassy with stones over Israel

TEHRAN, Aug 4 (Reuters) Dozens of Iranians angry over Israel's offensive against Lebanon tried to storm the British embassy today, pelting the compound with stones and firecrackers.

Britain, a key US ally, is often a focal point for demonstrations in a country with no US embassy and a long memory of Britain's colonial past in the region.

A police cordon stopped the protesters, mainly conservative Islamists who numbered around 100, from rushing into a sidestreet to scale a wall into the embassy grounds.

''The ambassador of the 'Old Fox' should be expelled from Iran,'' the crowd chanted after Friday prayers, using a traditional Persian reference to the former imperial power.

Protesters waved the flags of Hizbollah, the Iranian-backed guerrilla group fighting Israel in Lebanon, and posters of Hizbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, who has become a hero figure on the streets in many Wasia countries.

One cleric climbed onto a billboard and spat on the embassy plaque after protesters ripped it from a wall.

''Our job is done this week, but next week we will carry out the corpse of that scum Geoffrey Adams,'' he shouted to the demonstrators, referring to the British ambassador.

Israel launched a massive offensive against Lebanon on July 12 after two of its soldiers were seized. Iran does not recognise Israel and is a stanch supporter of Shi'ite group Hizbollah as well as Palestinians fighting Israel.

REUTERS SY RN1824