Iranian pro-regime students stormed the British diplomatic compounds in Tehran on Tuesday, bringing down the Union Jack flag and throwing documents from windows in scenes reminiscent of the anger against Western powers after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The mob surged past riot police into the British Embassy compound — which they pelted with petrol bombs and stones — two days after Iran's parliament approved a bill that reduces diplomatic relations with Britain following London's support of recently upgraded Western sanctions on Tehran over its disputed nuclear program.

Former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham's elevation into the fashion industry's elite was confirmed when she was awarded a major prize at Britain's most prestigious design awards.

The singer, wife of iconic footballer David Beckham, won the Best Designer Brand prize on Monday at the British Fashion Awards ceremony held in central London's exclusive Savoy Hotel.

Iran's Guardians Council on Monday approved a parliamentary bill demanding Britain's ambassador to Tehran be expelled within two weeks, making it law, the website for state television reported.

The confirmation by the council, whose jurists and clerics vet parliamentary texts to make sure they adhere to Islamic and constitutional rules, means Iran's foreign ministry now has to apply the measure.

The British Foreign Ministry is studying the possibility of calling on its nationals and those from the Commonwealth states to evacuate Lebanon in light of western reports from Lebanon, Syria, Israel, and Jordan that said that Lebanon and Syria are on the verge of an escalation, reported the Kuwaiti daily al-Seyassah on Sunday.

A British diplomat told the daily that other countries may follow Britain’s example, predicting that the evacuations may take place within a week or two.

Iran's parliament voted Sunday to expel the British ambassador in retaliation for fresh Western sanctions over Tehran's nuclear program and warned that other countries could also be punished.

The bill they adopted, which now has to go to the Guardians Council for approval, demands Iran's ambassador to Britain also be withdrawn as diplomatic relations are reduced to the level of charge d'affaires.

Britain will eventually be proud of its role in the Afghanistan war but it could be another decade before its gains are realized, the head of Britain's armed forces said in an interview published in Thursday's Times.

General Sir David Richards, the chief of the defense staff, admitted tactical mistakes had been made but that he had "every expectation" history would judge the war positively.

Syria has reached a "point of no return" in the regime's crackdown on opposition demonstrators, Turkish President Abdullah Gul said on Wednesday during his state visit to Britain.

"Unfortunately Syria has come to a point of no return," Gul said in a speech, adding that the whole region could be dragged into "turmoil and bloodshed" by the crisis.

Iranian lawmakers voted Wednesday to consider expelling Britain's ambassador in retaliation for newly imposed Western sanctions, said the parliamentary website.

The parliament introduced an emergency bill to be voted on Sunday that would see diplomatic relations downgraded to the more junior level of charge d'affaires if passed, the website reported.

Russia said on Tuesday new sanctions unveiled by Western states against Iran over its nuclear drive were unacceptable and illegal, warning they risked impeding the chance of dialogue with Tehran.

"Russia sees such measures as unacceptable and against international law," the foreign ministry said in a statement. "This practice seriously complicates moves for constructive dialogue with Tehran."

British Foreign Secretary William Hague urged the Syrian opposition to unify to become stronger as he held his first meeting with their representatives in London on Monday.

Hague said after the talks at the Foreign Office he had reiterated that Britain wanted President Bashar al-Assad and his regime to stand down over its bloody crackdown on opposition protesters.