British forces stormed and surrounded the Iranian consulate in Basra on Thursday during a shootout, AFP reported.

According to the Agency, Iranian consul Mohammed-Reza Naser Baghban said, "They came at 10 a.m. and surrounded the consulate. After 20 minutes they started shooting in different directions. They are trying to irritate us because of the issue of the capture of the British soldiers, but this behavior will make the issue worse."

British military, however, claimed the shots heard came from a British convoy that was ambushed in the same street as the consulate in central Basra.

British military spokesman in Basra Major David Gell confirmed there was an incident near the consulate but claimed it was "geographical coincidence."

The incident came nearly a week after Iranian marine forces detained 15 British sailors who had entered Iranian territorial waters in the Persian Gulf.

MM/AVA