Kharrazi Rejects Blair's Statements as "Politically Motivated"
The Foreign Ministry public relations department reported that accusing Iran of terrorism occurs at the time when anti-revolutionaries in Britain are active plotting against Iran, IRNA reported. Henceforth, such statements stem from purely political positioning Kharrazi said adding "Iranians still remember the bitter memory of British intervention in Iran's domestic affairs." On Iran's ties with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) he said "we believe in expansion of cooperation with the international watchdog body."
Actions by some governments will have adverse effect on the politicization of Iran's public opinion and will further complicate the matter, the Iranian foreign minister underlined.
Dialogue is most effective when it is based on mutual respect and has to wipe-out the bitter past memories, Kharrazi said.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair said on Thursday that London would continue its dialogue with the Iranian leadership, despite the souring of relations.
Blair also urged Iran to meet its international obligations on its nuclear activities, amid suggestions the government has a secret atomic weapons program, and halt support for "terrorist" groups.
"In respect of Iran, we have a policy of critical engagement, we are engaged with Iran, we have a dialogue with their leadership, but we are under no illusion," Blair told a Downing Street press conference. Blair also told the London news conference that Iran must "adhere completely to the demands of the international community in the respect of nuclear weapons and that they cease all support for terrorist groups."
"Until those two things are done our engagement is going to remain critical," he added.
The British embassy in Tehran was shut indefinitely on Wednesday after shots were fired at the mission, just hours after Iran's ambassador to Britain was recalled for consultations.
"We are not advising the British community to leave nor are we advising against non-essential travel to Iran as we believe the threat is against the embassy and not private individuals," the Britain's Foreign Office said.
"This is a straight forward security measure. We are not downgrading diplomatic relations," it added.
Ties have soured since the arrest in London last month of a former Iranian ambassador to Buenos Aires accused of a role in a 1994 bombing of a Jewish center in Argentina that killed 85 people.