A senior Iranian lawmaker says there is no objection to the reopening of the British Embassy in Tehran with a non-resident charge d'affaires appointed to the diplomatic post.
The appointment of non-resident charge d'affaires complies with the Majlis bill, since what lawmakers ratified was the resumption of (bilateral) relations at the level of charges d'affaires," Chairman of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee Alaeddin Boroujerdi said on Wednesday.
Given the high number of Iranian expatriates residing in the United Kingdom, the appointment of non-resident charge d'affaires to re-establish relations between Iran and the UK is a good and proper measure.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague said on Tuesday that his country is taking steps toward reopening its embassy in Tehran, agreeing to an exchange of non-resident diplomats to discuss improving relations.
In a meeting at the UN Headquarters in New York City on September 23, Hague and his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif discussed the improvement of Tehran-London relations, Irans nuclear energy program as well as regional developments.
On November 27, 2011, Iranian lawmakers voted by a large majority to downgrade diplomatic ties with the United Kingdom, in response to Britain's decision to impose sanctions on the Central Bank of Iran over the allegation that Iran is pursuing non-civilian objectives in its nuclear energy program.
Two days after the decision by Irans Majlis, hundreds of Iranian students staged a protest outside the British Embassy in Tehran and pulled down the UK flag.
On November 30 of the same year, London cut off its ties with Tehran, withdrew its diplomatic staff from Iran and the Iranian Embassy in London was closed.