Any Compensation for British Embassy Damage Subject to Negotiations: Iran
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s foreign ministry spokeswoman on Wednesday made clear that Tehran and London have not yet entered the “delicate process” of talks over the damage done to the British embassy building back in 2011.
“Negotiations must be held on assessing the damage, how to pay (Britain the compensation), the amount and other aspects,” Marziyeh Afkham said in her weekly press conference on Wednesday.
Tehran-London relations became tense three years ago. On November 27, 2011, a large majority of Iranian lawmakers voted to downgrade diplomatic ties with Britain, following Britain's decision to impose sanctions on the Central Bank of Iran.
Later, angry Iranian students stormed the British embassy in Tehran and pulled down that country’s flag.
Following the incident, Britain withdrew its diplomatic staff from the country on November 30 and asked Iran’s diplomatic delegation in London to leave within 48 hours.
Elsewhere in her remarks, Afkham said Iran and Britain have decided to amend ties gradually and in a “step-by-step process”.
She also expressed the hope that the two countries could replace their non-resident chargé d’affaires with resident ones following diplomatic decisions.
Iran and Britain agreed in October last year to appoint non-resident chargé d’affaires as a first step toward reopening their respective embassies.
The development followed a September meeting between Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and William Hague in New York, during which the two top diplomats discussed ways to improve Tehran-London ties.
Earlier in March, in a video message released on the advent of the new Iranian year, Britain’s Hague underlined his country’s commitment to improving strained relations with Iran.
Signaling London’s willingness for a thaw in strained relations with Tehran, Hague said, “I want to say to the Iranian people that the UK looks forward this year to improving relations with Iran.”
