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| Visit by Iran's foreign minister shows 'warming' relations with UK | |
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| A trip to London this week by the Iranian foreign minister, the first such visit in 12 years, has been hailed as a “symbol of warming relations” in spite of decades of mistrust and ongoing differences on regional issues and human rights. | A trip to London this week by the Iranian foreign minister, the first such visit in 12 years, has been hailed as a “symbol of warming relations” in spite of decades of mistrust and ongoing differences on regional issues and human rights. |
| Mohammad Javad Zarif, the chief of Iran’s diplomatic apparatus, has gained international recognition for his role in securing last year’s landmark nuclear deal. He had to walk on a tightrope in London not to upset hardliners back home, who were scrutinising his every action and word. | Mohammad Javad Zarif, the chief of Iran’s diplomatic apparatus, has gained international recognition for his role in securing last year’s landmark nuclear deal. He had to walk on a tightrope in London not to upset hardliners back home, who were scrutinising his every action and word. |
| Six decades after MI6 engineered a coup against Iran’s democratically elected prime minister to safeguard the UK’s oil interests in Iran, still unacknowledged by the British establishment, Britain, or “England” as it is mostly referred to in Iran, has a special place in the psyche of Iranian hardliners, who still think of it as “little Satan” or “the old fox” – cunning and sly. | Six decades after MI6 engineered a coup against Iran’s democratically elected prime minister to safeguard the UK’s oil interests in Iran, still unacknowledged by the British establishment, Britain, or “England” as it is mostly referred to in Iran, has a special place in the psyche of Iranian hardliners, who still think of it as “little Satan” or “the old fox” – cunning and sly. |
| The foreign secretary, Philip Hammond, met Zarif for breakfast on Friday, the day after Iran took part in a summit on Syria in London. He later tweeted that the visit was a symbol of warming relations. | The foreign secretary, Philip Hammond, met Zarif for breakfast on Friday, the day after Iran took part in a summit on Syria in London. He later tweeted that the visit was a symbol of warming relations. |
| 1st official visit by #Iran FM @JZarif in over 10 yrs- symbol of warming relations.Covered bilateral®ional issues pic.twitter.com/zgFaQKJLcG | 1st official visit by #Iran FM @JZarif in over 10 yrs- symbol of warming relations.Covered bilateral®ional issues pic.twitter.com/zgFaQKJLcG |
| It emerged after the meeting that the British embassy in Tehran and the Iranian mission in London will begin providing visa services from next month. Britain and Iran reopened embassies in their respective capitals last August. Relations reached a nadir in November 2011, when a mob attacked the UK mission in Tehran, ransacking offices and diplomatic residences. | It emerged after the meeting that the British embassy in Tehran and the Iranian mission in London will begin providing visa services from next month. Britain and Iran reopened embassies in their respective capitals last August. Relations reached a nadir in November 2011, when a mob attacked the UK mission in Tehran, ransacking offices and diplomatic residences. |
| Zarif came to London after David Cameron officially invited Tehran to the Syria conference during a recent phone conversation with the Iranian president, Hassan Rouhani. | Zarif came to London after David Cameron officially invited Tehran to the Syria conference during a recent phone conversation with the Iranian president, Hassan Rouhani. |
| Zarif used two of his big speeches on Thursday, including a discussion at Chatham House, to make clear that Iran’s exclusion from Syria talks in the immediate years after the conflict began in 2011 did not help the situation. | Zarif used two of his big speeches on Thursday, including a discussion at Chatham House, to make clear that Iran’s exclusion from Syria talks in the immediate years after the conflict began in 2011 did not help the situation. |
| He told a group of MPs and businessmen at the Palace of Westminster: “We need to redefine the problem, we need to redefine the threat, I don’t think we need to be brilliant to see the threat, the threat is before all of us: Daesh [Isis]. Unless we try to accommodate each other we can’t find a peaceful solution to Syria.” | He told a group of MPs and businessmen at the Palace of Westminster: “We need to redefine the problem, we need to redefine the threat, I don’t think we need to be brilliant to see the threat, the threat is before all of us: Daesh [Isis]. Unless we try to accommodate each other we can’t find a peaceful solution to Syria.” |
| He said Iran was “not interested in excluding Saudi Arabia”, its regional rival, and that Tehran recognised Riyadh as “an important player in the region”. Zarif said Iran did not have “fighters” in Syria, but a number of military advisers that, he said, had been invited by the central government. | He said Iran was “not interested in excluding Saudi Arabia”, its regional rival, and that Tehran recognised Riyadh as “an important player in the region”. Zarif said Iran did not have “fighters” in Syria, but a number of military advisers that, he said, had been invited by the central government. |
| The Iranian foreign minister was asked about human rights and about due diligence needed by western businesses before entering post-sanctions Iran. “If you want due dilligence for your companies, ask them to do due dilligence in countries that behead individuals, 47 of them in one day,” Zarif said, referring to the executions in Saudi Arabia. | The Iranian foreign minister was asked about human rights and about due diligence needed by western businesses before entering post-sanctions Iran. “If you want due dilligence for your companies, ask them to do due dilligence in countries that behead individuals, 47 of them in one day,” Zarif said, referring to the executions in Saudi Arabia. |
| Iran needed to improve its human rights record, Zarif conceded, but it should be result of homegrown activities and not pressure from outside. “Insisting on respect for human rights cannot be imposed from outside, particularly by those who turn a blind eye to the beheadings by their allies, it doesn’t work,” he said, alluding to the UK’s relations with Saudi Arabia. “In most countries in our region, election is a dream. In Iran, for the past 37 years, we’ve had four presidents handing over power through the ballot box to their opposition. | Iran needed to improve its human rights record, Zarif conceded, but it should be result of homegrown activities and not pressure from outside. “Insisting on respect for human rights cannot be imposed from outside, particularly by those who turn a blind eye to the beheadings by their allies, it doesn’t work,” he said, alluding to the UK’s relations with Saudi Arabia. “In most countries in our region, election is a dream. In Iran, for the past 37 years, we’ve had four presidents handing over power through the ballot box to their opposition. |
| “You are talking about a region where people don’t have a constitution for God’s sake,” he said. “But due diligence [is also needed] in those countries … about selling all sorts of weapons, which are killing all sorts of people in Yemen and other places. These are your weapons which are bombing the people of Yemen. So where is the due diligence there?” | “You are talking about a region where people don’t have a constitution for God’s sake,” he said. “But due diligence [is also needed] in those countries … about selling all sorts of weapons, which are killing all sorts of people in Yemen and other places. These are your weapons which are bombing the people of Yemen. So where is the due diligence there?” |
| Zarif said Iran did not execute people because of their opinion. When a journalist quoted him back saying, “Iran does not execute or persecute people for their opinion,” Zarif interrupted to make clear he only said “execute” and not “persecute”, indirectly acknowledging the the imprisonment of journalists and political activists in his country. Iran’s conservative-dominated judiciary, which is responsible for such arrests, acts independently of Rouhani’s government. | Zarif said Iran did not execute people because of their opinion. When a journalist quoted him back saying, “Iran does not execute or persecute people for their opinion,” Zarif interrupted to make clear he only said “execute” and not “persecute”, indirectly acknowledging the the imprisonment of journalists and political activists in his country. Iran’s conservative-dominated judiciary, which is responsible for such arrests, acts independently of Rouhani’s government. |
| When asked by a parliamentarian about Iran’s view of Israel, Zarif said: “On the situation in Palestine, regrettably our analysis has been proved right that Zionism cannot live in peace with its neighbours. There are brutalities against the Palestinian people on a daily basis and Iran is not part of it, it’s not Iran that is causing all these brutalities where people in Gaza are murdered, what’s the role of Iran? When people in West Bank are murdered, what’s the role of Iran?” | When asked by a parliamentarian about Iran’s view of Israel, Zarif said: “On the situation in Palestine, regrettably our analysis has been proved right that Zionism cannot live in peace with its neighbours. There are brutalities against the Palestinian people on a daily basis and Iran is not part of it, it’s not Iran that is causing all these brutalities where people in Gaza are murdered, what’s the role of Iran? When people in West Bank are murdered, what’s the role of Iran?” |
| Zarif said he did not think the next US president, whoever that was, would be in a position to tear up the nuclear deal. He particularly criticised the US congress for a new legislation which penalised dual-nationals with Iranian origins or foreign nationals who have visited Iran in the past five years by excluding them from a programme that previously allowed them to travel to the US without a visa. The new legislation has angered a wide range of Iranians, including those critical of the Iranian establishment. | Zarif said he did not think the next US president, whoever that was, would be in a position to tear up the nuclear deal. He particularly criticised the US congress for a new legislation which penalised dual-nationals with Iranian origins or foreign nationals who have visited Iran in the past five years by excluding them from a programme that previously allowed them to travel to the US without a visa. The new legislation has angered a wide range of Iranians, including those critical of the Iranian establishment. |
| Zarif said he had raised the issue with his American counterpart and urged his Europe to protest against the legislation, which he said was also a barrier to academic exchanges between Iran and the west. “That’s bizarre,” Zarif said. “Not a single Iranian, or a person who has travelled to Iran has committed an act of terror since September 11. Iran should not be singled out. It is discriminatory.” | Zarif said he had raised the issue with his American counterpart and urged his Europe to protest against the legislation, which he said was also a barrier to academic exchanges between Iran and the west. “That’s bizarre,” Zarif said. “Not a single Iranian, or a person who has travelled to Iran has committed an act of terror since September 11. Iran should not be singled out. It is discriminatory.” |