Reopening of embassy chance for UK to stop hostilities: Analyst

Press TV has interviewed Seyyed Mostafa Khoshcheshm, a political commentator in Tehran, and Richard Millet, a British journalist in London, to discuss the reopening of the UK Embassy in the Iranian capital, Tehran.

Khoshcheshm says that the UK should be happy about resuming diplomatic ties with Iran as there is a lucrative trade market in Iran, which has also absorbed other European traders.

He thinks Iran has provided the UK with another chance to prove that they intend to stop their hostility toward the Iranian nation, adding that London has tried to interfere in Iran’s internal affairs since the Qajar dynasty, and looted the Iranian oil reserves before the 1953 coup.

He says the British Embassy in Tehran played an active role in orchestrating post-election unrest in Iran in 2009. He adds that some 11 staffers from the embassy confessed to their role in the unrest and the then press agent of the British Embassy also admitted that he received 300,000 pounds to cultivate a network of opposition in Iran.

The UK has never respected Iranian sovereignty; therefore, there are some voices against the reopening of the British embassy in Tehran and the opponents say the British have not shown any sign of regret for their actions against Tehran’s national interests, Khoshcheshm says.

For his part, Millet says, “There is quite actually a bit of excitement in Britain about the opening of possibilities of Iran.” He says British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has been accompanied by some businesspersons during his visit to Iran, adding that UK media like the BBC and the Sunday Times have given more importance to reports on the Islamic Republic in recent days.

Millet thinks it is very possible that the diplomatic relations between the UK and Iran would warm up, but there are still some issues of difference between the two governments.

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