Britain today said it is ready to reopen its embassy in Iran as "the circumstances are right", in a sign of increasing Western engagement with Tehran amid a jihadist upsurge in neighbouring Iraq.
UK Foreign Secretary William Hague has told the British Parliament that the UK is ready to reopen its embassy in Tehran that was closed two and a half years ago.
Full diplomatic relations between the UK and Iran were suspended after attacks on the British Embassy in the Iranian capital in 2011.
The election of a new Iranian President and agreement on how to deal with Iran's nuclear programme has resulted in increased contact between the two countries in 2014.
"On Saturday I telephoned Foreign Minister Zarif to discuss the progress we have made to date and our common interest in continuing to move forward in the UK-Iran bilateral relationship. I have therefore now decided the circumstances are right to reopen our embassy in Tehran," Hague said in a statement.
"There are a range of practical issues that we will need to resolve first. However, it is our intention to reopen the embassy in Tehran with a small initial presence as soon as these practical arrangements have been made. I expect the Iranian government will similarly choose to take steps to reopen its embassy in London," he said.
The move comes as in the Iranian neighbourhood, Iraqi forces are engaged in heavy clashes with Sunni Islamist militants across the country and reports saying that Iran is providing military assistance to its historic rival.
Hague, who announced his decision in the House of Commons, said, "Inevitably, the initial embassy presence will only be able to offer a limited range of services at first. For the time being, Iranians will still need to apply in Abu Dhabi or Istanbul for visas for travel to the UK.
