Senior Iranian Diplomat Quits

Iran's consul in Norway, Mohammed-Reza Heydari, resigned from his post in response to his government's crackdown on protesters, urging his fellow Iranian diplomats to do the same. Heydari told Norwegian television that his decision came after the deaths of a dozen demonstrators on December 27, and that despite overtures from the Iranian government to stay—including promises that he would not be harmed if he returned to Iran—he was firm in his decision. According to Arabic television channel al-Arabiya, as many as 27 Iranian diplomats had resigned over the last few weeks, but no confirmation could be found of the report.