The British Embassy in Iran Will Reopen by the End of 2014

The head of the Iran-Britain parliamentary friendship group in the Iranian parliament predicted on Friday, December 5, that the British embassy in Tehran would reopen by the end of 2014, stating that the first step should be to establish the consular section of the embassy to issue visas to the Iranian people. Abbasali Mansouri Arani, a parliament member, said in an interview with the Young Journalists Club, affiliated with the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, "We are not in a hurry to reopen the embassy, and we certainly do not wish for this embassy not to be reopened." He added, "If the reopening occurs in Tehran, the visa issue must be resolved, and the first section of the embassy should be the activation of the consular section." He emphasized, "It is unacceptable for us that the embassy in Tehran reopens, but our citizens have to go to other countries for visas." Marzieh Afkham, the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, stated on Wednesday, December 3, that the activation of the embassies of Britain and Iran in both countries is being done "step by step and gradually." After the attack by forces known as "Basij students" on the British embassy in December 2011, the UK closed its embassy in Tehran and demanded the expulsion of Iranian diplomats and their families from the UK. Currently, Iran and Britain have non-resident chargés d'affaires in each other's countries. Following a meeting between Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and British Prime Minister David Cameron on September 24, which was the first meeting of the highest executive officials of the two countries in 36 years, the possibility of reopening the embassies of both countries gained momentum. The head of the Iran-Britain parliamentary friendship group continued, "Both sides are waiting for the conditions to be prepared for the reopening of the embassies." He added, "Britain is not a red line for us that its embassy should not reopen in Tehran, and we have no legal issues regarding the reopening of this embassy in Tehran." He concluded, "I think the British embassy in Tehran will reopen by the end of this year." Philip Hammond, the British Foreign Secretary, on Tuesday, December 4, in response to a question from a Labour Party representative about why the British embassy in Tehran has not reopened, said, "We have had negotiations with Iranian officials about this, but we have not been able to agree on technical issues such as providing the necessary equipment for the embassy and visa issuance services." The equipment and computers of the British embassy in Tehran were severely damaged during the attack three years ago by some Basij members on its building. Marzieh Afkham, the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, on December 5, in response to Mr. Hammond's remarks, said that the Iranian Foreign Ministry expects that Iran's internal and customs regulations regarding the entry and exit of cargo and political mail will be respected by all countries. Negotiations for reopening the embassies of both countries continue while, according to a resolution by the Iranian parliament on December 2, 2011, the Iranian Foreign Ministry was mandated to downgrade political relations with Britain to the level of chargé d'affaires. According to an amendment to the parliamentary resolution titled "Cutting Relations with Britain," if Britain's allegedly "hostile" policies change, the relationship level will be upgraded with a report from the Foreign Ministry and the approval of the Iranian parliament. However, according to Aladdin Boroujerdi, the head of the National Security Commission of the Iranian parliament, in August, this parliamentary resolution remains in effect.