Iran FM Salehi Says UK Actions “Hasty”
Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi says relations between Iran and Britain have not yet been completely severed, despite recent “hasty” recent actions by Britain.
ISNA reports that Salehi told British Foreign Minister William Hague in a telephone conversation that last month’s demonstration in front of the British Embassy in Tehran was the result of “two centuries of piled-up anger” topped with the British government’s recent decision to boycott Iran’s Central Bank.
Salehi said placing sanctions against Iran’s Central Bank was hasty, adding that Iran has no financial interaction with Britain and the move was merely “a show.”
Salehi admitted the attack on the British Embassy in Tehran was inappropriate but he added: “We do, however, understand the matter. In many cases, enthusiasm and excitement are so high that they run out of control.”
On Tuesday November 29, demonstrators in Tehran gathered in front of the British Embassy to protest British policies against Iran. The demonstrations led to an attack on the embassy when demonstrators stormed the building.
Following the incident, Britain withdrew all its diplomats from Iran and closed its embassy. It also expelled Iranian diplomats from Britain and closed down the Iranian embassy in London.
Salehi added that Iran is negotiating alternative ways of continuing relations with Britain, and no concrete decisions have been made so far.
The Iranian Foreign Minister also commented on the recent capture of an unmanned U.S. drone in Iran.
Salehi said that Iran has accused the U.S. of violating its territory, in a letter to the UN Secretary General.
“The intentions of the U.S. are evident to us, and we will make the appropriate response in the framework of international conventions,” Salehi said.
Iranian media report that the drone was flying 225 kilometres inside Iranian territory when it was captured.
U.S. authorities claim the drone crashed due to technical difficulties and was not downed by the Iranian military.
Iran has described the capture as the “Iranian technological victory over the U.S.”
