The speaker of the House of Lords said Britain is seeking to boost ties with Iran.
“I am confident that the British administration wishes to consolidate its relations with Tehran,” IRNA quoted Baroness D’Souza as saying in a meeting with members of the Iran-Britain Parliamentary Friendship Group at the British parliament on Wednesday.
Describing Iran as “an important country” in the Middle East, she called for expansion of bilateral relations beyond mere parliamentary consultations to cover various areas, including education, technology, medicine and agriculture.
The parliamentary delegation’s trip was made in response to a visit by members of the Britain-Iran Parliamentary Friendship Group to Iran in late 2013, led by former foreign secretary Jack Straw.
Britain cut its diplomatic ties with Tehran in 2011 after an angry group stormed the British Embassy to protest London’s policy on Iran.
Following the election of President Hassan Rouhani, the two sides agreed to appoint non-resident chargés d’affaires as a first step toward restoration of ties.
