Brushing aside British and European efforts to seek the release of local British Embassy staff members held in Tehran, the Iranian authorities indicated on Friday that they planned to put some of them on trial — a move that could deepen a crisis in diplomatic relations with the European Union and provoke withdrawal of ambassadors.

In London, the Foreign Office said it was urgently checking reports that the Iranian authorities planned to put two of its local employees on trial.

Nine staff members were seized after the unrest sparked by Iran’s disputed presidential elections on June 12, and as many as eight of them were subsequently reported to have been released. But the precise number still detained was not clear.

Iranian state television said all but one of the nine had been released. But Foreign Minister Carl Bildt of Sweden, which currently holds the EU’s presidency, said “more than one” staff member remained in custody.

The Iranian authorities accused the employees of fomenting and orchestrating protests, but pro-democracy Iranians ascribed the violence on the streets to a widespread crackdown by Government security forces.

A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office in London said: “We are very concerned by these reports and are investigating. Allegations that our staff is involved in fomenting unrest are wholly without foundation. We will be seeking an urgent explanation from the Iranians.”

Britain has been pressing EU to withdraw all its ambassadors from Tehran. European officials have indicated that any talk of a trial - or show trial - would hasten those measures.

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