FRIENDS of Jalal Rezaie, an Iranian protesting against his possible deportation back to his homeland, braved the cold and wet today to show support for his plight to stay in Ashford.

Mr Rezaie, known as Jack, was joined outside the Kentish Express offices in North Street, Ashford, by friends armed with posters bearing messages of sympathy.

The 45-year-old's deportation will go ahead unless he wins an appeal to stay with his wife Joan Martin in South Willesborough.

He is set to find out within a month if his third appeal will be heard. He said: “I wanted to show the Government I have a community here. I’m paying for my food, my home and my council tax.

"I don’t want one penny from the Government. The only thing I want is for them to let me stay here with my wife. I’ve been living and working here for four years. I could be useful for this country.”

Mr Rezaie, who works as a chef at the Conningbrook restaurant, Kennington, fled Iran after refusing to re-join the armed forces.

A helicopter pilot, he had left after being jailed for refusing to launch missiles on civilians during a war with Iranian Kurds in the 1980s.

Friends held posters saying: “Our friend Jalal should be allowed to live in Britain.”

“He deserves a new life. Let Jalal live without fear of persecution.”

Mr Rezaie fears he will be tortured or killed if he is sent back to Iran because he disobeyed orders before he fled in 1999. He claims he would rather kill himself here than return to the Middle East.