Iranian parliamentarians to visit UK, no date set yetJanuary 29, 2014 - 10:15 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Iranian parliamentarians will come to London in the next few months, the first such visit in years, as Iran and Britain try to improve their damaged relations, Reuters reported, citing a group of British lawmakers. The visit was agreed during a trip to Iran this month by a four-man delegation from the British parliament that met Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif and senior lawmakers. "We formally invited the Iranian Majlis (parliament) and they formally accepted," Jeremy Corbyn, a Labor parliamentarian who was in the delegation, told Reuters, adding that a date had yet to be finalized but that it would be before the summer. Britain severed direct diplomatic relations with Iran after activists stormed its embassy in Tehran more than two years ago. However, the election of a relative moderate, President Hassan Rouhani, paved the way for a thaw in ties which has helped Tehran strike a preliminary agreement about its disputed nuclear program with six world powers, including Britain. Britain appointed a non-resident charge d'affaires to Iran in November, reviving direct ties, a step mirrored by Tehran. The British parliamentary delegation, led by former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, visited Tehran from January 6 to 10. During a parliamentary hearing on Tuesday, the four lawmakers said they had inspected the disused British embassy in Tehran. It was closed in 2011 after a rally against British sanctions turned violent and protesters scaled the walls, ransacked offices and burned buildings. They said its walls were daubed with graffiti reading "Down with the English" but that they thought it could be restored to full working order fairly quickly providing the Iranian authorities provided assurances about the future staff safety. "This won't get any easier the longer we leave it," said Straw. "There's a window (of opportunity)". He said the British government should make it a high priority to get staff working there again. Straw said such a step could help British business people revive trade ties with Iran despite international sanctions, something he said their counterparts in Western Europe were doing already. Photo: The Telegraph Related links: Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Government reveals details from Pashinyan’s meeting in border village Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has met with a group of residents of a border village in Armenia’s northern Tavush province Narek Manasyan wins European Boxing Championships silver for Armenia Armenia’s Narek Manasyan (92kg) won Armenia’s second silver medal at the European Boxing Championships 2024 on April 28. Blinken urges Azerbaijan to continue negotiations with Armenia Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken has urged Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to continue negotiations with Armenia. Pashinyan, Blinken talk Armenia-U.S. ties over the phone Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on April 28, Pashinyan’s office reports. |