British Foreign Secretary William Hague called for security guarantees for its diplomats before finalizing plans to reopen the British Embassy in Tehran.
A spokesman for Britain’s Labour Party told reporters that the crisis in Iraq calls for a more pronounced presence of British diplomatic efforts in Tehran. Hague announced however that the British need gurantees of security for their diplomats and their ability to function normally in Tehran.
Meanwhile Fianancial Times reported that the British Embassy is set to reopen in Tehran.
Iran’s Shargh daily quoted FT saying however the new embassy will not issue visa to Iranian and Iranians will still have to travel to neighbouring countries to get a visa.
Diplomatic relations between Iran and Britain were severed in December of 2011, when a group of Basij students stormed the British Embassy in Tehran in reaction to Britain’s decision to tighten sanctions on Iran.
In the wake of that event, Britain removed all of its personnel and closed down its embassy in Tehran, and expelled Iranian diplomats from London.
With the change in the Iranian administration, diplomatic relations between Iran and Britain have been on the mend, as the Rohani administration has been active in opening international relations in general.
