Iranian protesters clash with riot police in front of the British embassy in Tehran yesterday. (Source: Xinhua/Reuters)

About 200 students staged a rally outside the British Embassy in central Tehran yesterday, protesting against British naval servicemen's "illegal entry" into Iranian waters.

The students threw rocks and firecrackers at the British Embassy. But dozens of anti-riot police prevented them from entering the embassy compound, witnesses said.

The students, most of them the Basij militia, also gathered to protest the shooting by British troops near Iranian consulate in the southern Iraqi city of Basra.

The protesters shouted "death to Britain," "death to America" and "Death to Israel" as they gathered around the British Embassy.

Iran's state television reported on its website that the students had issued a statement calling for closure of the British embassy in Tehran and cessation of all ties with Britain.

Britain's Foreign Office confirmed Sunday's protest around its embassy in Tehran, but insisted that there was no damage or injuries during the incident.

On March 23, 15 British naval personnel were seized by Iranian forces when they were patrolling off the Iraqi borders. Iran has insisted that the British boats made a blatant "incursion" into Iranian territorial waters.

However, the British authorities said that the incident took place when the British soldiers were engaged in routine boarding operations in Iraqi territorial waters in support of UN Security Council Resolution 1723 and the Iraqi government.