Jack Straw calls on UK to reopen diplomatic ties with Iran

Britain should re-establish full diplomatic relations with Iran within months, according to Jack Straw, the former foreign secretary who has been instrumental in helping thaw relations.

Speaking to the Financial Times after his return from Tehran, Mr Straw said the Foreign Office should push to reopen its embassy in the Iranian capital as soon as possible.

Mr Straw said: “The government should push as hard as it can to normalise relations and make it an important priority. That is likely to take months, rather than weeks . . . but I would personally like to see it happen well before the end of the year.”

The UK closed its embassy in 2011 after it was stormed by protesters, leading to accusations from London that Tehran had failed to provide diplomatic protection.

But relations have improved significantly since then, not least because of the election of Hassan Rouhani as president, and the signing of an interim nuclear deal.

The January visit to Tehran by Mr Straw and his colleagues from the all-party parliamentary group on Iran – the first such visit in five years – was a big step towards the restoration of full diplomatic relations.

Iran is reportedly very keen for the UK to reopen its embassy, but the Foreign Office has been cautious, worried about whether their staff will be safe. William Hague, the foreign secretary, appointed a chargé d’affaires for Iran last year, but he remains a British resident.

The Foreign Office said: “Progress is being made on the bilateral relationship with Iran, but this will continue to be on a step-by-step and reciprocal basis. No decision has been made on reopening the embassy.

“Our non-resident chargé d’affaires will continue to have regular discussions with Iran on a range of issues, including conditions under which our embassies could eventually be reopened.”

Mr Straw, who has long been one of the strongest British advocates of closer ties with Iran, told the FT he had returned from his trip more convinced than ever that Mr Rouhani was a trustworthy negotiating partner.

“I personally dealt with him when I was foreign secretary and you form a view about people. You understand from where they are coming and whether they will stay true to their word. [President Rouhani] ticks all of those boxes,” he said.

An interim deal has been signed between Iran and six major world powers, whereby Tehran will stop its production of higher-grade enriched uranium in return for $7bn of sanctions relief over the next six months. The next six months will also be spent negotiating a permanent deal, although many in Israel and the west believe this will be impossible.

Mr Straw said the new Iranian regime’s focus on the economy would ensure a nuclear deal remained a strong possibility, despite resistance from more hardline elements in the country. “A lot of the ministers we met put the economy higher than the resolution of the nuclear dossier – one official told us they see it as all one package.”

He also attacked as “conspiracy theorists” those who doubt Mr Rouhani’s willingness to negotiate in good faith. He said: “There are people who believe this is all some great conspiracy, but life is not like that.”

His comments are a thinly veiled criticism of Israel, which has repeatedly urged western powers not to trust Mr Rouhani, who Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, has described as a “wolf in sheep’s clothing”.

Mr Straw went further, saying the Israelis were the clearest threat to a permanent nuclear deal. Referring to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the US lobbying group, Mr Straw said: “The Netanyahu, Aipac lobby are potentially very powerful. If they scupper the deal they will end up with what they don’t want – a more hardline Iran.”