A British embassy employee is to stand trial in Tehran for "acting against national security" — a dramatic escalation in Iran's campaign to blame Britain for protests against disputed election results.

The man, a 44-year-old Iranian who is the British embassy's chief political analyst, was arrested on Saturday and has been formally charged at Tehran's Evin Prison, his lawyer, Abdolsamad Khorramshahi, said. "Apparently he will be put on trial. We have prepared and submitted the defence documents and I have to see the judge next week."

It was is not clear whether any other embassy staff will face prosecution. A senior cleric claimed that some had "confessed" to playing a role in the protest movement. The staging of political trials is likely to lead to a breach in relations not only with Britain, but also with the European Union. Iranian ambassadors were summoned to foreign ministries in capitals across Europe in a coordinated rebuke .

The analyst is one of two Iranian staff of the British embassy still being held for allegedly playing a role in the protests that followed the official victory in last month's presidential elections of President Mahmoud Ahmadenijad. Seven other staff members have been released from detention in recent days but warned they could face further legal proceedings. Earlier in the day Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, head of a highly influential body of clerics, the Guardian Council, claimed that some embassy employees had "confessed" to playing a role in post-election demonstrations, and would be prosecuted.

The cleric is close to Iran's Supreme Leader but he is not in charge of the judiciary, so British officials insistthat trials were still not inevitable despite the fact charges had been laid.

"Acting against national security" is a vague charge often brought against political activists and is not known to carry any fixed sentence. The charge was levelled against three US-Iranian academics detained in 2007 while visiting Iran. All three were subsequently released.

The foreign secretary, David Miliband, said: "We are confident that our staff have not engaged in any improper or illegal behaviour." Miliband added that Britain was "deeply concerned" about the fate of the two embassy staff. However, their plight presents British officials with a dilemma. If they provide too much overt help it will strengthen Tehran's depiction of them as "foreign agents".

Britain withdrew a request for European states to pull ambassadors from Tehran after the Iranian government released some embassy staff on Wednesday, but London is likely to look for stronger action if the trials proceed. European officials at meetings at Stockholm and Brussels said the option of withdrawing ambassadors remained on the table. The Europeans also discussed the possible penalty of blacklisting regime officials by temporarily blocking visa applications to travel to the EU.

"We view this not just as an attack on Britain, but as an attack on the entire European Union," said a European official.

Carl Bildt, the foreign minister of Sweden which took over the EU presidency this week, said it was not acceptable to file charges against British embassy staff. But the threat of charges being pressed against embassy employees, followed by trials, looked calculated to call Europe's bluff and to gauge how the EU might respond.

"Our solidarity … is total. Now it is up to the British to tell us what they need," said French President Nicolas Sarkozy. "France has always wanted to strengthen the sanctions so that the Iranian leaders really understand that the path they have chosen will be a dead end."

France has taken a tough line on the nuclear dispute with Iran over the last six years, while Germany and Italy, with billions of euros in trade at stake with Iran, have been less keen on sanctions.

Today's meeting in Brussels agreed on a common protest to the ambassadors. Officials said the crisis could be taken to a summit of G8 leaders in Italy next week, although the Italians are seen as the least supportive of strong action against Iran.

• Three children including three-month-old baby among victims
• 100 firefighters and 16 ambulances attend Camberwell blaze

Six people have died, including three children, in a fire at a London tower block, emergency services said tonight.

The blaze, in Havil Street, Camberwell, south London, began on the fourth floor of the 12-storey block this afternoon and "spread rapidly" to the 11th floor, according to London Fire Brigade.

A woman, a three-week-old baby and a seven-year-old child were among the victims.

A spokesman for London fire brigade said: "There were six fatalities - three adults and three children.

"Thirty people were rescued - these 30 people were in immediate peril and were evacuated from the building."

Uninjured survivors were taken to an emergency centre in a nearby church hall set up by Southwark council and the British Red Cross, while the injured were taken to three London hospitals.

A woman died at Guy's and St Thomas's Hospital, while two of the child victims were taken to King's College Hospital in Denmark Hill.

A spokesman for Guy's and St Thomas' said: "We can confirm that we received two adult patients from the fire in Camberwell.

"One patient remains in a stable condition in hospital. Tragically the second patient has died."

A spokesman for King's College Hospital, in Denmark Hill, said: "We had 11 people in total - nine of whom had minor injuries, mostly smoke inhalation.

"These were three children and six adults. They are currently in the process of being discharged and they are going to Southwark Council's emergency centre. The other two of the 11 sadly died."

A spokeswoman for the Lewisham hospital, in south London, said seven people had been brought in to their accident and emergency department.

"There are four adults and three children. All the people who have come to Lewisham have non-serious injuries."

Southwark vouncil said people evacuated from the Sceaux Gardens estate were taken to Welton Hall in Bushey Hill Road.

A spokesman said: "Arrangements are being made to rehouse those who require it and who are unable to make alternative arrangements.

"The rest centre will remain open for as long as necessary. However, there is currently no hot water for other residents on the estate and it is not expected to be reinstated until tomorrow."

The mayor of Southwark, councillor Jeff Hook, is visiting the centre tonight to offer his support.

Council leader Nick Stanton said: "On behalf of Southwark council, I would like to extend all our deepest sympathy to the families and friends of those who have tragically died in this fire.

"I am in awe of the courage and professionalism of the fire brigade and other emergency services."

Emergency services had been called to Lakanal House in Havil Street at 4.25pm with 18 fire engines in attendance as well as 16 ambulances and a hazardous area response team.

The fire brigade said a number of rescues had been carried out in "extremely difficult circumstances".

Sarah Gresty, who lives nearby, said she could see a column of flames and smoke in the flats going up a number of floors.

"It was very alarming seeing it," she said. "The fire was going in quite a few flats. It was shocking to see the quantities of smoke and flames."

Southwark council leader Nick Stanton said: "This is a terrible thing to have happened and my thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the family of the children who have died and those people affected by this fire."

• Republicans disagree on wisdom of move
• Former McCain running mate hints at political ambition

Sarah Palin, the former Republican vice-presidential candidate who electrified her party's campaign last year, has resigned as Alaska's governor in a dramatic decision that has fuelled speculation she is positioning herself to run for president.

But after an at times rambling speech in which she compared herself to battle wounded American soldiers in Kosovo and said only dead fish go with the flow, Palin's critics accused her of a "flaky" decision and walking away from her post.

Palin, who built strong support among conservative Republicans as John McCain's running mate last year, said she will step down in three weeks because she can contribute more away from politics.

"We know we can effect positive change outside government at this moment in time on another scale and actually make a difference for our priorities," she said.

But Palin also hinted at continuing political ambitions when she repeated a quote she attributed to general Douglas MacArthur: "We are not retreating, we are advancing in another direction."

For someone who is supposedly stepping back from politics, Palin's resignation speech was weighty with policy specifics which prompted speculation that she is positioning herself for a 2012 presidential bid or seeking another office which would move her from distant Alaska to the heart of Washington politics.

But the timing, coming during one of the biggest American holidays of the year, independence day, raised questions among some of Republicans who accused her of attempting to escape falling poll numbers in Alaska as a series of economic problems and ethics investigations take their toll.

A prominent Republican strategist, Ed Rollins, who directed Ronald Reagan's election campaign, said Palin had made a serious mistake.

"She was a shooting star who dimmed in recent months and now she's crashed," he said.

Another Republican strategist, Tony Blankley, disagreed and said Palin appeared to have made a smart move to position herself for a run for president.

"It looks like she's moving down a path toward it," he said. "It frees her up. The normal rules don't seem to apply to her. She's a fascinating character who seems to do things her own way."

Blankley said that it makes sense for Palin to resign as governor if she is seeking higher office.

"This is going to be a pretty tough time for incumbents the next couple of years in America with everything going to tell and this may be a pretty good time not to be in office," he said.

Blankley also said that Palin faced particular difficulties trying to juggle a national campaign with being government of Alaska.

The geography is bad for her because it is several time zones and the better part of a day's travel from Washington. That limits her ability to maintain her profile by dropping in on important campaign states for short visits to whip up backing for a run for president. Quitting as governor will give her an opportunity to travel and court the Republican base among which she retains considerable support. Palin will also need to spend time in the capital developing relationships with key Republican strategists.

Palin remains a front runner among Republicans nationwide as a potential presidential candidate.

But other Republicans were more critical including John Weaver, a long-time confidant of McCain.

"We've seen a lot of nutty behaviour from governors and Republican leaders in the last three months, but this one is at the top of that," Weaver told the Washington Post.

Palin's resignation was swiftly criticised as "flaky" by her Democratic opponents who said it was part of a pattern of "bizarre" behaviour.

The Democratic National Committee said she is "leaving the people of Alaska high and dry ... or she simply can't handle the job now".

The timing of the announcement on the eve of independence day led some critics to accuse her of trying to bury the news of her resignation. But given that almost nothing else was going on it might have been a move to dominate the news bulletins as it forced Michael Jackson's death from the top slot.

"Some are going to question the timing of this, and let me say this decision has been in the works for quite a while," Palin said.

Palin addressed the numerous ethics investigations launched in to her alleged misuse of office by saying that taxpayer money was being wasted and deriding them as part of the "superficial political blood sport" against her since she shot to prominence as McCain's running mate.

Palin will hand power to her deputy, lieutenant governor Sean Parnell. The next election for Alaska governor is in 2010.

AP - Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin surprised supporters Friday and announced she is resigning from office at the end of the month, leaving open the possibility she would seek a run for the White House in 2012.

AP - EDITOR'S NOTE: Iranian authorities have barred journalists for international news organizations from reporting on the streets and ordered them to stay in their offices. This report is based on the accounts of witnesses reached in Iran and official statements carried on Iranian media.

AP - NAWA, Afghanistan — U.S. Marines pushed deeper into Taliban areas of southern Afghanistan on Friday, seeking to cut insurgent supply lines and win over local elders on the second day of the biggest U.S. military operation here since the American-led invasion of 2001.