Tehran, YJC. Iran says that as it stopped diplomatic relations, the UK must be the one also to step forward in their resumption.
Providing
comments on William Hague’s recent phone call to Aliakbar Salehi, the spokesman
of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran said "It was UK that brought
relations to a halt, so if they would like to reinstate the relations it is they
who must step forward.”
Speaking with Fars news agency, Abbas Araqchi
pointed to the Majlis act in 2011 in reducing the country’s relations with the
UK to the level of charge d'affaires and said that the relations were disrupted
by the UK and it is responsible in reinstating them.
"Stepping
forward itself takes changing their outlooks and behavior. The Iranian
government must make sure that there are benefits in the revival of relations,”
he maintained.
Araqchi
stated that as shown by Jack Straw expressing willingness to visit Iran, and by
Hague’s phone call, the UK is willing to resume relations with Iran,
emphasizing his previous statement that if Straw would like to make a change in
Iran-UK relations he must start from London.