Some UK embassy staff detained in Tehran and accused of inciting protests over disputed elections will face trial, a top Iranian cleric says.

Guardians Council chief Ahmad Jannati said: "Naturally they will be put on trial, they have made confessions."

Nine embassy staff were held in Tehran last weekend. The UK government says all except two have now been released, the BBC reported.

EU governments are considering temporarily withdrawing ambassadors to Iran in protest at the detentions.

"In these incidents, their embassy had a presence, some people were arrested," said Ayatollah Jannati, according to news agencies.

Speaking at Friday prayers, he did not say how many employees would be tried or on what charges.

Protests gripped Tehran and other Iranian cities after June's presidential election, amid claims the vote had been rigged in favour of incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Five of the nine employees were reportedly released on Monday and Iranian state media said on Wednesday it had freed three more, but British and EU officials say two remain in custody.

Iran's semi-official Fars television station reported this week that one of the detainees had played a "remarkable role during the recent unrest in managing it behind the scenes".

Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, last month described Britain, as the "most evil" of its enemies.

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