The British embassy in Tehran and the Iranian embassy in London will both re-open this weekend, four years after Iranian protesters stormed the Britain compound and diplomatic relations between the two nations were reduced to a minimum.
Britain's embassy will be re-opened by Philip Hammond, as he becomes only the second foreign secretary to visit Iran since the 1979 revolution – and the first to do so for 12 years – says the Daily Telegraph.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Iran was reluctant to relax import weight restrictions which made it difficult for the UK to bring in communications equipment to replace that which was stolen during the 2011 attack.
Hammond will raise a new Union flag this weekend – the BBC reported in 2011 that the protesters had burnt the original. The failure of the Iranian authorities to prevent the incursion angered Britain and led to the embassy's closure.
While the embassies both closed, some sort of diplomatic relations were maintained throughout: Britain has a non-resident charge d'affaires for Iran, Ajay Sharma. Sharma is to move to Tehran now and become ambassador.
Writing in The Guardian, Lindsay Hilsum says the re-opening is "something for both Iranians and British to celebrate", even if the UK has lagged behind other western nations in normalising relations with reformist president Hassan Rouhani.
Hammond will be accompanied by a trade delegation and Hilsum says the way may seem "clear" for business links – but Iranians do not "discard history so easily". If the UK would admit it helped depose the nationalist leader Muhammad Mossadegh in 1953, and apologise, that would really help mend the relationship, says Hilsum.
-
Quiz of The Week: 15 – 21 NovemberQuiz Have you been paying attention to The Week’s news?
-
Can the UK do more on climate change?Today's Big Question Labour has shown leadership in the face of fraying international consensus, but must show the public their green mission is ‘a net benefit, not a net cost’
-
The Week Unwrapped: Will US Catholics rebel against the Pope?Podcast Plus what are the ethics of freezing your late partner?
-
Americans traveling abroad face renewed criticism in the Trump eraThe Explainer Some of Trump’s behavior has Americans being questioned
-
Why these Iraqi elections are so importantThe Explainer The US and Israel are increasingly pressuring Baghdad to tackle Iran-backed militants, while weakened Iran sees Iraq as a vital remaining ally
-
Nigeria confused by Trump invasion threatSpeed Read Trump has claimed the country is persecuting Christians
-
Sanae Takaichi: Japan’s Iron Lady set to be the country’s first woman prime ministerIn the Spotlight Takaichi is a member of Japan’s conservative, nationalist Liberal Democratic Party
-
Russia is ‘helping China’ prepare for an invasion of TaiwanIn the Spotlight Russia is reportedly allowing China access to military training
-
Interpol arrests hundreds in Africa-wide sextortion crackdownIN THE SPOTLIGHT A series of stings disrupts major cybercrime operations as law enforcement estimates millions in losses from schemes designed to prey on lonely users
-
'Axis of upheaval': will China summit cement new world order?Today's Big Question Xi calls on anti-US alliance to cooperate in new China-led global system – but fault lines remain
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American citiesUnder the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
