British FM arrives in Tehran to reopen UK embassy

Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 23 By Umid Niayesh – Trend: British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond arrived in Tehran on Aug. 23 for a two-day official visit. Heading a political-economic delegation Hammond is scheduled to meet with senior Iranian officials including President Hassan Rouhani, Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh as well as the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani and Valiollah Seif, the head of Iran’s Central Bank, the country’s official IRNA news agency reported. The UK foreign secretary also will reopen British embassy in Tehran. Iran will simultaneously reopen its embassy in London with Deputy Foreign Minister in Financial and Executive Affairs Mehdi Danesh Izadi. Hammond’s visit to Tehran is the first visit to the country by a British foreign secretary since 2003. The UK has had no diplomatic presence in Tehran since a group of protesters stormed the British embassy in 2011 and pulled down the UK flag. After that the UK closed the embassy, drawing action in kind from Iran. Tehran blames the UK for having agitated opposition in the wake of the disputed 2009 presidential elections, counting the student move as a self-organized reaction against UK interference in the Islamic Republic’s internal affairs. Stay up to date with latest Iran news on our specialized Facebook page Follow us on Twitter @TRENDNewsAgency