Iran said on Monday five out of the nine detained local staff at the British embassy in Tehran had been released, state television reported.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Qashqavi said British Foreign Secretary David Miliband and Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki had spoken on the phone on Sunday evening.

Iranian media said on Sunday several local British embassy staff had been detained on accusations of involvement in street protests that rocked Iran after a disputed June 12 presidential election.

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