British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond is due in the Iranian
capital Tehran to attend the reopening of UK's embassy, four years since
it was trashed by a mob.
British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond's visit on Sunday is the first by a British foreign secretary since 2003, as Tehran's ties warm with the West.
"Four years on from an attack on the British embassy, I am today re-opening it," Hammond said in a statement.
![Following the 2011 storming in Tehran, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called the UK embassy 'evil' [EPA]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_uyPbrDA9Fm3YvH5ciTVHjy-5-UnD-gGm-oslDv8F06EgCvlR1vvIk9IBWkU66-WOEcA3EMw241zddIz7em3rlq2kigECnY6Uzv6k7v1Gzege9WYy4Su0wNAVpLjsOnjH4I-NyOlE5PZFpa0rR3B-bgmk0vCNGcYClocebLhZUh4NnER4B-soTjX8KonkeDPD_1vw0n_2ERP4jU=s0-d "UK and Iran to re-open embassies years after mob attack")
"The Iranians will simultaneously re-open their embassy in London. Our relationship has improved since 2011."
Iran's embassy in London will re-open initially at charge d'affaires level, with a view to installing the two countries' respective ambassadors in the coming months.
European officials have been quick to visit Tehran since July 14, when Iran struck a deal with Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States, ending a 13-year standoff over its nuclear programme.
The accord will see the lifting of economic sanctions imposed on Iran and has sparked a flurry of interest from countries seeking to re-connect with the oil-rich Islamic republic.
That thaw began with the June 2013 election of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, a reputed moderate who reached out to the West.
Following the 2011 embassy attack, Britain said it could not have happened without the tacit consent of the Iranian regime at the time.
It erupted after a UK-led sanctions against Iran's banking sector.
Students rampaged for hours through Britain's diplomatic compounds in Tehran, tearing down the British flag, ripping up pictures of Queen Elizabeth II and trashing offices. Staff were seized by protesters.
Diplomatic relations were reduced to their lowest possible level, with Britain expelling Iran's officials.
Britain's opulent 19th Century embassy in Tehran - built as a symbol of imperial might when Britain was locked into the 'Great Game' struggle for influence with swiftly expanding Tsarist Russia - has long been the subject of intrigue.
Following the 2011 storming, which was a protest against nuclear-related sanctions imposed by London, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called it an "evil embassy".
British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond's visit on Sunday is the first by a British foreign secretary since 2003, as Tehran's ties warm with the West.
"Four years on from an attack on the British embassy, I am today re-opening it," Hammond said in a statement.
Iran's embassy in London will re-open initially at charge d'affaires level, with a view to installing the two countries' respective ambassadors in the coming months.
European officials have been quick to visit Tehran since July 14, when Iran struck a deal with Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States, ending a 13-year standoff over its nuclear programme.
The accord will see the lifting of economic sanctions imposed on Iran and has sparked a flurry of interest from countries seeking to re-connect with the oil-rich Islamic republic.
That thaw began with the June 2013 election of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, a reputed moderate who reached out to the West.
Following the 2011 embassy attack, Britain said it could not have happened without the tacit consent of the Iranian regime at the time.
It erupted after a UK-led sanctions against Iran's banking sector.
Students rampaged for hours through Britain's diplomatic compounds in Tehran, tearing down the British flag, ripping up pictures of Queen Elizabeth II and trashing offices. Staff were seized by protesters.
Diplomatic relations were reduced to their lowest possible level, with Britain expelling Iran's officials.
Britain's opulent 19th Century embassy in Tehran - built as a symbol of imperial might when Britain was locked into the 'Great Game' struggle for influence with swiftly expanding Tsarist Russia - has long been the subject of intrigue.
Following the 2011 storming, which was a protest against nuclear-related sanctions imposed by London, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called it an "evil embassy".
No comments:
Post a Comment