TEHRAN – Some six European ambassadors and charges d’affaires in Tehran were dismissed in less than ten minutes after they visited the Foreign Ministry to justify the European Union’s reasons for sanctioning an Iranian intelligence service and two related people, an unnamed diplomatic source told IRNA on Wednesday.

The unnamed diplomat said in retaliation for the sanctions Tehran is considering a downgrading of security ties with the EU. “Soon due decisions will be made and they will cover vast areas,” the source added.

Anders Samuelsen, the Danish foreign minister, tweeted on Tuesday that the European Union agreed to enact sanctions against an Iranian Intelligence Service over claims of assassination plot.

Danish intelligence chief Finn Borch Andersen claimed in October that an Iranian intelligence service had tried to carry out a plot to assassinate an Iranian Arab opposition figure on Denmark’s soil.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi dismissed the claim as a plot by enemies to undermine Tehran’s growing relations with European countries.

A few weeks ago, U.S. officials had called European ambassadors in Tehran to a meeting in the United Arab Emirates, discussing with them their Iran policy and promising an end of the Islamic Republic in months. The U.S. officials had held a separate meeting in the same vein with regional intelligence services as well.

SP/PA