The British government said Tuesday that it had summoned the Iranian ambassador in response to what it called “unacceptable and inflammatory comments” posted by the Iranian Embassy on social media.

The summons, a formal diplomatic tool, comes as the relationship between Britain and Iran has grown particularly fraught amid the war in the Middle East. The British authorities have increasingly been warning of a rise in threatsfrom hostile states, including Iran and Russia.

Earlier this week, Iran’s embassy in London posted a statement on its Telegram channel that invited Iranians living in Britain to register for what it described as “Sacrifice for the Homeland” campaign.

The embassy encouraged “all proud sons and daughters of Iran” to “demonstrate unity, loyalty, and national pride in a unified framework,” and ended: “Let us all stand together, ready to sacrifice our lives, for it is better than surrendering our country to the enemy.”

SOURCE: New York Times