45.6 F
New York
Friday, March 29, 2024

Great Britain Plans to Reopen Iranian Embassy Amid Iraq Chaos

Related Articles

-Advertisement-

Must read

Iranian protesters upset over Western-imposed sanctions, stormed the British embassy in 2011, forcing its closure.Britain has re-established direct, bilateral relations with Iran for the first time since 2011, when violent Iranians protesting British sanctions scaled the walls of the UK’s diplomatic compounds in Tehran. The UK accused the protestors of a coordinated attack and withdrew its staff, closed its embassy and expelled Iranian diplomats from Britain.

“The UK has agreed with Iran that from today bilateral relations will be conducted directly through non-resident Charges d’Affaires and officials,” said a foreign office spokesperson.

Relations between the two countries were being conducted by a “Protecting Power,” namely Sweden, who acted as a third party intermediary. In light of the change in relations, the Iranian flag could be seen flying over Iran’s embassy in London last week.

The upgrade is generally believed to have come in response to the overrunning of vast territories in Iraq by the Sunni jihadist group ISIS, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. The United States is reportedly considering launching joint air strikes with Iran to combat the threat and strengthen the severely weakened Iraqi government.

However, Reuters reports that British Foreign Secretary William Hague said that the decision did not mean Britain was “softening” any of its policies towards Iran.

“We look to Iran to cease support for sectarian groups elsewhere in the Middle East, to reach a successful conclusion to nuclear negotiations. But I do believe it is important to discuss such issues with Iran and we need the ability to do so.”

Britain has been conducting indirect relations with Iran since last November through a non-resident charge d’affaires.

The UK has nixed any military involvement in Iraq, but Hague said a Britain had sent an “operational liaison and reconnaissance team” to Baghdad a number

On November 29th 2011 The British Embassy and another British diplomatic compound in Tehran were stormed by mobs of Iranian protestors. Offices were ransacked and important documents stolen. Several people were injured when a small building was burned. The raid occurred following the release of a November 2011 International Atomic Energy Agency report, which reorted arming elements of Iran’s nuclear program activities. The information came with a ban by the British government on all United Kingdom financial institutions from doing business with their Iranian counterparts. The Iranian response was the passage of a bill downgrading ties with the UK and requiring both countries to withdraw their ambassadors.

A thousand protestors immediately rallied outside the embassy demanding the immediate removal of the British Ambassador. The protest started quietly, but the building was soon stormed and the front door broken down; property was destroyed and looted and the British flag was replaced with an Iranian one. The Iranian security forces initially refused to enter the British Embassy to intervene. Eventually police stepped in and with Iran’s expressed regret 12 protesters were arrested.

balance of natureDonate

Latest article

- Advertisement -