UK Ambassador to Tehran Changed; McCur Replaces Hapton

The British government has changed its ambassador in Tehran, appointing Rob McCur to replace Nicholas Hapton, who has held this diplomatic position since 2016. According to a statement from the British government, Mr. McCur will begin his mission at the embassy in Iran from April of this year (Farvardin and Ordibehesht 1397). This announcement, published on Wednesday, March 14, is accompanied by statements from Boris Johnson, the UK Foreign Secretary, who stated: 'Iran plays an important role in the Middle East, but this role must be constructive, a fundamental point I emphasized during my visit to Tehran in December.' Mr. Johnson further referred to the Iran nuclear agreement, calling it a 'great diplomatic success' that 'has eliminated the threat of Iran acquiring nuclear weapons, the result of years of patient diplomacy.' The Foreign Secretary then addresses the 'challenges' in relations with Tehran, including the issue of British dual nationals imprisoned in Iran, expressing hope that Rob McCur will overcome these issues with his 'valuable international experience.' Nazanin Zaghari, an employee of the Thomson Reuters Foundation, and Kamal Faroughi are two British-Iranian citizens who have been sentenced to long prison terms in Iranian courts on charges such as attempting to overthrow the government and espionage. Their convictions were among the main topics of Boris Johnson's discussions with Iranian officials during his recent trip to Tehran. The Iran Human Rights Campaign reported last month that another British-Iranian citizen has been detained in Iran. The report states that Mohammad Reza Hashemi Nabi was arrested by 'Revolutionary Guards agents' upon his arrival in Iran in January 2017 and is currently held in Ward 2 of Evin Prison, which is under the control of the Guards. Mr. Hashemi Nabi's relatives have stated that he is accused of 'acting against national security by collaborating with groups or organizations outside the country.' Recently, the Tehran prosecutor announced without naming anyone specific that a dual British-Iranian citizen has been sentenced to six years in prison, referring to this individual as a 'spy for the British intelligence service.' However, the change of the British ambassador in Iran coincides with an incident where supporters of Ayatollah Shirazi attacked the Iranian embassy in London. A number of supporters of Ayatollah Sadegh Shirazi attacked the Iranian embassy in London on Thursday, March 8, in protest against the arrest of his son, and were arrested by British police. In response to this action, Iran summoned the British ambassador in Tehran and accused London of failing to protect its embassy. According to the British government's statement, Rob McCur expressed his pleasure at his new mission in Tehran, stating that continued cooperation between Britain and Iran for the primary goal of making the Middle East safer is of fundamental importance. He also added that he seeks to work with the Iranian government and international partners to maintain the nuclear agreement and deepen bilateral relations between London and Tehran through Iran's commitments to human rights. Finding political solutions for the civil wars in Yemen and Syria is also among the issues that the new British ambassador in Tehran emphasized. Rob McCur previously served as the director of public relations and political risk at BG Group, the UK's High Commissioner in Nairobi, and a political advisor in New Delhi.