Iran, UK should seek lasting ties: Iranian official
A top Iranian official has called for lasting relations between Iran and Britain despite the "ups and downs" that have existed in their ties throughout the history.
In a meeting with British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond in Tehran on Monday, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani said Tehran and London can ensure their interests in bilateral relations through “confidence-building and mutual respect.”
He also urged Western governments to avoid “unconstructive misunderstandings” in their relations with the Islamic Republic, saying a realistic and correct perception of Iran’s power, which he said is rooted in the country’s balanced and harmonizing policies, would facilitate the resumption of modern collaborations.
Shamkhani also touched upon an ongoing military conflict in Syria and said that some governments ignored Iran’s repeated calls for refraining from providing of arms to militants in the Arab country, saying such ignorance led to the formation of numerous terrorist groups and an unprecedented crisis for governments in the Middle East.
He said Iran and Britain share common grounds on issues such as fighting terrorism, the need for regional stability and expanding economic cooperation, saying such a joint approach could be implemented through active negotiations between the two sides.
The British foreign secretary, for his part, highlighted Iran’s special position as a regional power, saying the country can play a big role in settling various problems including the ongoing fight against terrorism.
Hammond said he is delighted that a new chapter has opened in relations between Tehran and London, saying Britain wants to have a long-running and lasting economic relationship with Iran.
The top British diplomat arrived in the Iranian capital, Tehran, on Sunday to formally reopen the UK embassy there. The Iranian and British embassies resumed work in London and Tehran four years after the two countries severed diplomatic ties.
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