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The figure resembles a yakshi - a powerful primordial nature spirit that can bestow both "abundance and fertility, as well as death and disease" - recognisable through her floral headdress, jewellery and full figure.

A second Tehran resident told BBC Persian that their family had gathered their documents and jewellery and fled northwards early on Saturday.

She spends about an hour a week baking, on top of running two online jewellery businesses and parenting another child.

Jean Ghika, Global head of jewellery at Bonhams, said the "exceptionally rare" tiara with "impeccable provenance" dates from when Cartier London was at the "height of its creative prowess".

Denmark came under glaring international attention for its hardline refugee stance, after it allowed the authorities to confiscate asylum seekers' jewellery and other valuables, saying this was to pay towards their stay in Denmark.