TEHRAN – Tehran announced on Saturday it would respect the British public’s vote to exit the European Union, noting it will have no impact on Iran’s approach toward Britain or the European Union.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran, as a country ruled by democracy, respects the British public’s vote to leave the European Union, and considers it in keeping with the will of the majority of the country’s people in regulating their foreign relations,” said a statement carried by the website of the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
On Thursday, Britain held a referendum on whether to leave the European Union, a process often referred to as “Brexit,” final tally of which on Friday gave a 52%-48% leave vote, causing a political earthquake in the green continent.  
Since 1973, Britain was a member of the EU which now has to continue with 27 nations.
Also, the statement said Iran has always been willing to expand relations with European countries “based on mutual respect and non-interference in each other’s national affairs,” emphasizing that “Briton’s exit out of European Union will bring no change in Iran’s approach toward European states.”
According to Jalalledin Sadatian, Iran’s former charge d'affaires to England back in the 1980s, the exit will have no tangible influence on bilateral ties, particularly economic ones.
England was among the countries Iran signed the July 2015 nuclear deal with.
The decision to put EU membership to a public vote had created a schism within the Conservative Party, with a number of backbenchers campaigning against Cameron’s argument to remain within the political and economic trading bloc.
The statement says Iran has always been willing to expand relations with European countries based on mutual respect and non-interference in each other’s national affairs.

The first victim of the body blow was Prime Minister David Cameron who announced he would step down in the coming autumn.
In a statement to the press, the prime minister acknowledged that the British people had “made a very clear decision to take a different path and thus the country requires fresh leadership to take it in this direction. I will do everything I can as Prime Minister to steady the ship over coming weeks and months. But I do think it would not be right to me to try to be the captain that steers our country to its next destination.”
“The British people have voted to leave the European Union and their will must be respected,” Cameron emphasized.
According to Cameron, the country should be expecting a new prime minister to be in place by the start of the Conservative Party conference in October, who will be most likely Boris Johnson, former mayor of London.
While Eurosceptics argue that the exit would reverse immigration, save taxpayers billions and free Britain from an economic burden, Europhiles counter that it would lead to deep economic uncertainty and cost thousands, possibly even millions, of jobs.
Apart from economic uncertainties likely to emerge in the aftermath of the exit, other serious concerns also loom large, including fears for escalation of nationalist sentiments across Europe.
Also, stronger independence calls from Ireland and Scotland also are likely to be heard though it is only the passage of time which proves which interpretations are right or wrong.

AK/PA