Tehran, Iran, August 22
By Mehdi Sepahvand -- Trend:
The Islamic Republic of Iran will not dispatch an ambassador to the UK and the two countries' diplomatic relations will remain at the level of charges d'affaires, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht Ravanchi said.
His remarks followed reports that on August 23, Iran and the UK will open their embassies after a four-year closure.
After embassies are reopened, the non-resident charges d'affaires will turn into resident ones without replacement, Ravanchi added, IRNA news agency reported August 22.
UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond will be in Tehran on the said day to reopen the British embassy.
Iran will simultaneously reopen its embassy in London with Deputy Foreign Minister in Financial and Executive Affairs Mehdi Danesh Izadi.
Ravanchi added that Iran will pay for damage done to the British embassy buildings and assets during a protest that ended in the closure of the embassy four years ago.
In 2011 a congregation of students stormed the British Embassy downtown Tehran and pulled down the British flag.
After that the UK closed the embassy, drawing action in kind from Iran.
Tehran blames the UK for having agitated opposition in the wake of the disputed 2009 presidential elections, counting the student move as a self-organized reaction against UK interference in the Islamic Republic's internal affairs.