Turmoil spreads to Yemen, Iran

Hundreds of Yemeni demonstrators stormed the US embassy compound in Sanaa on Thursday, in protest against a film they consider blasphemous to Islam, while clashes with security forces killed at least one person and injured 15 others.

News reports also spoke of a protest in Tehran, where around 500 Iranians chanting "Death to America" tried to converge on the Swiss embassy, which handles United States interests in the absence of formal diplomatic relations with Washington. Hundreds of police officers held the crowds back from the diplomatic compound, witnesses said.

In Sanaa, young protesters, shouting "We sacrifice ourselves for you, Messenger of God", smashed windows of the security offices outside the embassy and burned at least five cars as they broke through the main gate of the heavily-fortified compound in eastern Sanaa, witnesses said.

"We can see a fire inside the compound and security forces are firing in the air," a witness told Reuters.

Witnesses said embassy guards fired in the air to keep the protesters at bay. Riot control forces later used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the protesters.

A local hospital official said the body of one person had been brought in from the scene of the clashes and medics were trying to determine the cause of death. A security source said at least 15 people were wounded, some from bullets. Twelve people have been arrested.

"All embassy personnel are safe and accounted for," an embassy spokesman told Reuters.

The protest followed Tuesday night's storming of the United States consulate and a safe house in Benghazi, where the US ambassador to Libya and three other staff were killed. President Barack Obama said the perpetrators would be tracked down and ordered two destroyers to the Libyan coast.

Demonstrators blamed the United States for the film, posted on YouTube under several titles, including Innocence of Muslims. The film depicted the Prophet Mohammad in terms seen as blasphemous by Muslims and was condemned by Washington.

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