The Iranian judiciary wants to deport British ambassador Robert Macaire, accusing him of "provoking" protests last weekend.

Gholam-Hossein Esmaili, spokesman for the Iranian judiciary, said yesterday Robert Macaire had a "provoking role" when he attended a prayer for victims of an Iranian air defense shot down by Iranian air defenses in the background. Increasing tensions between Britain and Iran.

"We do not accept when we see the British ambassador leave the embassy and participate in illegal gatherings, video recording and incite further demonstrations," Esmaili said. "Macaire is an unwelcome person, who must be deported according to international law and to the wishes of the people."

However, British Foreign Minister Dominic Raab said London had not received an official notice of Macaire's deportation, adding that any similar actions were "regrettable".

The British ambassador to Iran on 11 January attended a prayer for victims of the downing of an Ukrainian plane held outside Amir Kabir University in Tehran. However, the prayer was soon turned into a protest when hundreds of people shouted slogans to demand supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to resign.

Macaire denied participating in the protest, saying he left the meeting as soon as the protest broke out and was arrested on his way back to the embassy. He was detained for several hours, before the Iranian Foreign Ministry intervened to release him.

The FCO expressed anger at the arrest of Ambassador Macaire, calling it a "flagrant violation of international law". The US also requires Iran to formally apologize to Britain and respect the rights of all diplomats.

Ahmad Alamolhoda, a hard-line cleric with great influence in Iran, said the expulsion of Ambassador Macaire would be "the best thing possible for him" because otherwise, loyal to General Qassem Soleimani, commander Quds task force of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), killed in US air strikes on January 3, will "appoint him to pieces".

Iran admitted wrongly shooting a Boeing 737-800 of Ukraine International Airlines on January 8, killing all 176 people aboard. Thousands of Iranians have flocked to the streets of Tehran and other locations across the country to show anger at the authorities.

Iranian President Rouhani said the shooting of a Ukrainian plane was an unforgivable mistake and would punish those responsible. An Iranian judiciary spokesman said yesterday that the country had arrested "someone who" had a "role" in the accidental shooting.