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Update: Tehran, London promote ties by exchanging ambassadors

Xinhua, September 6, 2016 Adjust font size:

Tehran and London promoted their diplomatic ties to ambassador level by exchanging ambassadors on Monday, semi-official Mehr news agency reported.

According to the report, Iran's new ambassador to London is Hamid Baeidinejad, who had served as nuclear negotiator and Foreign Ministry's director general for political affairs.

On Monday, Baeidinejad presented his credentials in London.

In Tehran, Nicholas Hopton, former British Chargé d'Affaires to Iran, presented his credentials to Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad-Javad Zarif.

A statement issued by the British Foreign Office on Monday confirmed that Hopton has been upgraded to ambassador.

"This comes a year after the reopening of the Embassy in Tehran, and marks an important step forward in the two countries' diplomatic relations," the statement said.

It quoted Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson as saying that "the upgrade in diplomatic relations gives us the opportunity to develop our discussions on a range of issues, including our consular cases."

He expressed the hope that the move will mark "the start of more productive cooperation" between Britain and Iran on issues such as implementation of the nuclear deal and the expansion of the trading relationship.

On Monday, Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi expressed hope for improving relations with Britain, saying that the expansion of bilateral ties is supported by both sides.

"Our relations with the UK, over the past decades, have witnessed ups and downs, but attempts were made to promote the ties," Qasemi said in his weekly press conference.

In August last year, Britain reopened its embassy in Iran's capital Tehran.

The silver-color signboard showing "British Embassy" was installed on the exterior wall of the Britain embassy's complex in central district of Tehran.

Groups of local and foreign media, as well as hundreds of people, were present in front of the British embassy to witness the reopening of the embassy, which was stormed by a group of angry Iranian students in 2011 to protest against Britain's nuclear-related sanctions. Endit