Iran's parliamentary delegation to visit Britain within months

Tehran, Dec 18, IRNA – A group of Iranian lawmakers will visit Britain by the end of the current Iranian year (March 20, 2015), it was reported on Wednesday. Chairman of Iran-Britain Friendship Group Abbasali Mansouri Arani told IRNA that the visit will take place upon an invitation by Richard Bacon, the Conservative MP for South Norfolk who is also vice-chairman of Britain-Iran Friendship Group. Referring to the issue of reopening of British embassy in Tehran, Arani said the two sides are following up the issue “with a positive view.” The MP said he is “optimistic about reopening of the British embassy in Tehran by the end of the current Iranian year.' Tehran-London diplomatic relations severed in 2011 when a group of people stormed British embassy protesting the imposition of new anti-Iran sanctions by the UK. Following the attack, the two countries shut down their missions. This created many problems for both Iranian and British nationals including obtaining visas. From July 2012 until October 2013, British interests in Iran are maintained by the Swedish embassy in Tehran while Iranian interests in the United Kingdom are maintained by the Omani embassy in London. Following the election of President Hassan Rouhani in 2013, London announced that it was willing to open better relations with Tehran on a 'step-by-step' basis. Arani said although Iranians have bad memories from Britain's performance regarding the Islamic Republic, several thousands of Iranian nationals are currently living in the UK facing problems due to the lack of complete diplomatic ties between the two capitals including visa problems. Arani said in order to resolve problems of the Iranian nationals living in Britain it is necessary to improve parliamentary relations between the two countries./end