The World - News from June 12, 1987

Iran ordered four more British diplomats out of the country, bringing to 14 the total number of expulsions by both sides in a dispute that began with the brief abduction of a British envoy two weeks ago by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. State-run Tehran radio said the four diplomats were given 72 hours to leave. Five other British diplomats were expelled last week, including envoy Edward Chaplin, who was abducted in Tehran on May 28 and held for 24 hours. That incident prompted Britain to expel five Iranian diplomats. Britain maintains that Chaplin’s abduction was in retaliation for the earlier arrest by British police of an Iranian diplomat.