Current relations Iran–United Kingdom relations

1 current relations

1.1 trade
1.2 political tension

1.2.1 2007 iranian seizure of royal navy personnel
1.2.2 arms sales
1.2.3 gholhak garden


1.3 asylum
1.4 escalating war talk
1.5 2009 iranian election controversy
1.6 2009 international arbitration court ruling
1.7 2011 british embassy stormed
1.8 2012
1.9 2013
1.10 2014
1.11 2015
1.12 2016

current relations
trade

the first persian ambassador united kingdom mirza albohassan khan ilchi kabir.

the iranian embassy in london



the british embassy in tehran

the herald tribune on 22 january 2006 reported rise in british exports iran £296 million in 2000 £443.8 million in 2004. spokesperson uk trade , investment quoted saying iran has become more attractive because pursues more liberal economic policy . of 2009, total assets frozen in britain under eu (european union) , un sanctions against iran approximately £976m ($1.64 billion). in november 2011, britain severed ties iranian banks part of package of sanctions us, uk , canada aimed @ confronting tehran’s nuclear programme.

political tension

the confrontation between united states–european union pact on 1 side , iran on other on iran s nuclear program continues develop, remaining serious obstacle in improvement of tehran–london ties.

a confidential letter uk diplomat john sawers french, german , diplomats, dated 16 march 2006, twice referred intention have united nations security council refer chapter vii of united nations charter in order put pressure on iran. chapter vii describes security council s power authorize economic, diplomatic, , military sanctions, use of military force, resolve disputes.

the sunday telegraph reported secret, high-level meeting take place on 3 april 2006 between uk government , military chiefs regarding plans attack iran. telegraph cited senior foreign office source saying belief in areas of whitehall attack inevitable. there no invasion of iran nuclear sites destroyed. bbc reported denial meeting take place, no denial of alleged themes of meeting, uk ministry of defence, , there sourced , persistent speculation american covert activities aimed @ iran underway .

2007 iranian seizure of royal navy personnel

on 23 march 2007 fifteen royal navy personnel seized naval forces of iranian revolutionary guard allegedly having strayed iranian waters. 8 sailors , 7 royal marines on 2 boats hms cornwall detained @ 10:30 local time 6 guard boats of irgc navy. subsequently taken tehran. iran reported sailors well. 200 students targeted british embassy on 1 april 2007 calling expulsion of country s ambassador because of standoff on iran s capture of 15 british sailors , marines. protesters chanted death britain , death america . speculation on iranians motivations action ran rampant; iranians under tremendous pressure on number of fronts united states, revolutionary guard corps have been responding 1 of number of perceived threats.

on 3 april 2007, prime minister tony blair advised next 48 hours critical in defusing crisis. @ approximately 1:20 pm gmt, iran s president announced 8 sailors pardoned . following day, announced 15 british personnel released in celebration of prophet s birthday , easter.

arms sales

despite political pressure , sanctions, probe customs officers suggests @ least 7 british arms dealers have been supplying iranian air force, elite revolutionary guard corps, , country s controversial nuclear ambitions. uk businessman caught smuggling components use in guided missiles through front company proved iranian ministry of defence. case involves group included several britons which, investigators alleged, attempted export components intended enhance performance of iranian aircraft. other examples involve british millionaire arms dealer caught trading machine-guns used sas , capable of firing 800 rounds minute tehran-based weapons supplier.

gholhak garden

in 2006 dispute ownership of gholhak garden large british diplomatic compound in northern tehran raised in iranian parliament when 162 mps wrote speaker. british embassy have occupied site since @ least 1934 , assert have legal ownership issue raised again in 2007 when group of mps claimed ownership papers site unlawful under laws extant in 1934. in july 2007 conference held discuss ownership of compound not attended british side.

asylum

on 14 march 2008, britain said reconsider asylum application of gay iranian teenager claims persecuted if returned home. had fled netherlands , sought asylum there; however, dutch government turned him down, saying case should dealt in britain, first applied.

escalating war talk

as talk of strikes , counter-strikes in relation war talk between united states-israel-iran trio heated in 2008, senior iranian official suggested regime should target london deter such attack. head of europe , department in iranian foreign ministry, wahid karimi, said attack on london deter attacking tehran. said: appropriate means of deterrence iran has, in addition retaliatory operation in [persian gulf] region, take action against london. suggested propensity attack arise adventuresome second term presidency. said: presidents adventuresome in second terms... [richard] nixon, disgraced watergate scandal; [ronald] reagan, irangate adventure; [and bill] clinton, monica lewinsky—and perhaps george bush, sitting president, create scandal connected iran s legitimate nuclear activity not left behind. speculation led him suggest clash occur between 2008 u.s. presidential elections , time new president enters office in january 2009. in worst-case scenario, george bush may perhaps persuade president-elect carry out ill-conceived operation against iran, prior january 20, 2009—that is, before regime handed on , ends presence in white house. next president of have deal consequences.

2009 iranian election controversy

in aftermath of disputed 2009 iranian presidential election , protests followed, uk-iran relations further tested. on 19 june 2009, supreme leader of iran ayatollah khamenei described british government evil of in western nations, accusing british government of sending spies iran stir emotions @ time of elections, although has been suggested british diplomats statement using uk proxy united states, in order prevent damaging us–iranian relations. nonetheless, british government, unhappy @ statement, summoned iranian ambassador rasul movaheddian foreign office lodge protest. iran proceeded expel 2 british diplomats country, accusing them of activities inconsistent diplomatic status . on 23 june 2009, british government responded, expelling 2 iranian diplomats united kingdom. prime minister gordon brown stated unhappy @ having take action, suggested there no option after described unjustified actions iran. on 24 june 2009, iranian foreign minister manouchehr mottaki announced country considering downgrading ties uk.

four days later reported iranian authorities had arrested number of british embassy staff in tehran citing considerable role in recent unrest. after event, uk government responded demanding iranian authorities release british staff stated iran s accusations baseless without evidence. after arrest of uk staff, european union (eu) has demanded uk staff released in iran under international law , if uk staff not released eu threatens strong response . on december 29, 2009, britain warned iranian foreign minister manouchehr mottaki state britain slapped in mouth if not stop nonsense.

the queen s college, oxford established neda agha-soltan graduate scholarship in 2009, named after neda agha-soltan, died in protests followed election. led letter of protest college iranian embassy in london, signed deputy ambassador, safarali eslamian. letter disputed circumstances of death, , said there supporting evidence indicating pre-made scenario . eslamain wrote, seems university of oxford has stepped involvement in politically motivated campaign not in sharp contract academic objectives, linked chain of events in post-iranian presidential elections blamed british interference both @ home , abroad . letter said decision abuse neda s case establish graduate scholarship highly politicise academic institution, undermining scientific credibility—along british press made exceptionally lot of hue , cry on neda s death—will make oxford @ odd [sic] rest of world s academic institutions. eslamain asked university s governing board informed of iranian views , , finished saying, surely, steps achieve attractions through non-politically supported programs can better heal wounds of family , nation. following publication of iranian letter, times told uk diplomatic sources, speaking anonymously, scholarship had put nail coffin of relations between britain , iran. if government had been asked, sources reported saying, have advised against move, because felt iran see act of provocation, , because interfere efforts free iranians working british embassy in tehran had been detained alleging participating in post-election protests. college spokesman said scholarship had not been set part of political decision, , if initial donations had been refused, have been interpreted political decision too.

2009 international arbitration court ruling

in april 2009 british government lost final appeal in arbitration court of international chamber of commerce @ hague against payment of $650 million iran. money compensation arms deal dating 1970s did not come due occurrence of iranian revolution. shah s government had ordered 1,500 chieftain tanks , 250 chieftain armoured recovery vehicles (arvs) in contract worth £650 million, 185 vehicles had been delivered before revolution occurred. contract covered provision of training iranian army , construction of factory near isfahan build tank parts , ammunition. in order recover of costs 279 of chieftains sold jordan , 29 of arvs iraq, used them against iran in iran–iraq war. uk continued deliver tank parts iran after revolution stopped following outbreak of iranian hostage crisis in 1979.

the british government has confirmed has pay money , ruling, originated in hague, received coverage in independent. britain had placed £486 million court in 2002 pay ruling against it. settlement worth £390 million come out of fund. iran has yet officially apply receive money when not receive it, instead join £976 million of iranian assets frozen uk due eu sanctions.

2011 british embassy stormed

on 29 november 2011, despite heavy police resistance, 2 compounds of british embassy in tehran stormed iranian protesters. protesters smashed windows, ransacked offices, set fire government documents, , burned british flag. 6 british diplomats reported iranian semi-official news agency mehr being taken hostage, while later reports indicated in fact escorted safety police. storming of british embassy followed 2011 joint american-british-canadian sanctions , iranian government s guardian council approving parliamentary bill expelling british ambassador result of sanctions. british flag taken down , replaced iranian flag protesters. british foreign office responded saying outraged this. utterly unacceptable , condemn it. according iranian state news agencies, protesters largely composed of young adults. on 30 november william hague announced iranian diplomats had been expelled , given 48 hours leave united kingdom.

2012

the uk may take military action against iran if carries out threat block strait of hormuz, defence secretary philip hammond warned in speech on 5 january. said attempt iran block strategically important waterway in retaliation sanctions against oil exports “illegal , unsuccessful” , royal navy join action keep open. british defense officials met secretary of defense leon panetta on thursday, 6 january criticize other members of nato not being willing commit resources joint operations, including in libya , afghanistan.

on 7 january, uk officials reported intention send powerful naval forces persian gulf counter iranian attempt close strait of hormuz. type 45 destroyer hms daring arrive in gulf end of january. according officials, ship capable of shooting down missile in iran s armory.

2013

on july 2013, announced uk consider opening better relations iran step-by-step following election of president hassan rouhani.

on october 8, 2013, britain , iran announced each appoint chargé d affaires work toward resuming full diplomatic relations.

2014

on february 20, 2014, both countries announced had resumed diplomatic relations. british government announced in june 2014 re-open tehran embassy.

british prime minister david cameron , iranian president hassan rouhani scheduled meet on sidelines of united nations meeting in september 2014, marking highest-level direct contact between 2 countries since islamic revolution. reportedly discuss military campaign against islamic state of iraq , levant in neighboring iraq.

2015

philip hammond meeting iranian foreign minister mohammad javad zarif in tehran, 22 august 2015

on 23 august 2015, british embassy in tehran , iranian embassy in london simultaneously reopened. ceremony in tehran attended uk foreign secretary philip hammond, first british foreign secretary visit iran since jack straw in 2003. diplomat ajay sharma named uk s charge d affaires full ambassador expected appointed in coming months.

jack straw attended reopening of iranian embassy in london, along iran s deputy foreign minister mehdi danesh yazdi.

2016

in september 2016 iran , united kingdom restored diplomatic relations pre-2011 level, nicholas hopton being appointed british ambassador in tehran.

on 7 december 2016, british prime minister theresa may accused iran of aggressive regional actions in middle east, including stirring trouble in iraq, lebanon , syria.

on 17 december 2016, iran s supreme leader ali khamenei responded condemning britain source of evil , misery middle east.