Door still open for dialogue with Iran: UK

The UK government has not ruled the possibility of dialogue with Iran despite their current diplomatic standoff, Ahram Online has learned.

"The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office [FCO] has not cut complete diplomatic relations with Iran," British sources told Ahram Online.

 

London shut its embassy in Tehran a week ago after protesters attacked the residential compound in the centre of the capital which houses the British diplomatic mission.

 

Embassy staff said protesters stole communication devices, staff passports and personal computers. The FCO responded by expelling Iran's diplomatic staff from London.

 

After returning from Tehran, the UK ambassador to Iran, Dominic John Chilcott, accused the Iranian regime of supporting the attack against the British embassy.

 

Commenting on the chances of resuming relations, an FCO spokesman told Ahram Online that "the door is still open for dialogue and communication with Tehran."

 

Although the diplomatic relation is at its lowest level for the last few years, the possibility of dialogue is still there, he added.

 

Since withdrawing its mission from Tehran last week, UK nationals and interests are currently without representation in Iran.

 

London has advised British nationals to contact the embassies of other EU state members if they need help.

 

"It could take weeks to decide which an embassy could serve our interests in the Islamic Republic of Iran," the FCO spokesman said. 

 

France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands have all recalled their ambassadors in solidarity with the UK.

 

Reporters say Iranian and British staff and interests still have person-to-person contact, outwith official channels. The FCO spokesman hinted these could be a backchannel for communication between London and Tehran. 

 

"No specific conditions need to be met before we can start any dialogue with Iran," he said, adding that any dialogue will depend on its context.

 

The Iranian nuclear programme is the main source of the dispute between Iran and the West.

 

"We will not boycott any talks about the issues because of the embassy serious incident," the spokesman added, saying that London will participate in any future meeting of the EU3+3 group which discusses European policy. 

 

This group includes theUK, France and Germany, along with the USA, Russia and China.