国际英语新闻:Iran, UK negotiate to resume bilateral consular ties: official

TEHRAN, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Consular, Parliamentary and Expatriates' Affairs Hassan Qashqavi said here Sunday that Tehran and London are negotiating to resume bilateral consular ties, semi-official Fars news agency reported.

"We are interacting and talking with Britain to resume consular activities," Qashqavi told Fars.

In November 2011, thousands of angry Iranian demonstrators broke into two British embassy compounds following Iran's decision to downgrade its diplomatic ties with Britain in response to its imposed financial sanctions against Tehran.

Following the incursion into its embassy in Tehran, Britain withdrew its diplomats from Iran, shut down its embassy in Tehran, ordered the immediate closure of the Iranian embassy in London and demanded that all its staff leave Britain.

In June 2012, Press TV reported that Iran and Britain had agreed to open interests sections after the two countries shut down their respective embassies.

Oman would be in charge of the Iranian interests section in London while Sweden would represent the British interests in Tehran, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi was quoted by Press TV as saying.