Iranian protest ends in Brussels

The plane arrived on Thursday afternoon from Frankfurt

Police have arrested 56 Iranians who had refused to leave a Lufthansa plane at Brussels airport, ending a 13-hour sit-in.

The group of unarmed European citizens of Iranian origin had refused to disembark from the jet when it arrived from Frankfurt on Thursday.

Officials said three people had already left the aircraft when the police had told them they faced arrest.

The group said they wanted Europe to help remove Iran's Islamic leaders.

'Non violent'

The plane was moved away from the terminal building and 90 police officers boarded the jet to remove the protesters after negotiations failed.

Other passengers and crew had left the plane when it landed at 1400 (1300GMT) on Thursday with 103 people on board.

"We want the European Union to remove the Islamic leaders from Iran," Armin Atshgar, one of those on the plane, told Reuters news agency.

He said he was a member of Anjomane Padeshahi, a group that wants to restore the country's royal family, who were ousted during the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Belgium's foreign ministry said earlier that it was negotiating with the group, as they were non-violent.