In an effort to repair long-strained relations, Britain and Iran announced Tuesday that each would appoint a chargé d’affaires, a rank below ambassador, to work toward resuming full diplomatic ties. The diplomats will remain in their own countries, but will discuss reopening embassies in London and Tehran.
Iran and Britain have had an almost complete shutdown of relations since Iranian protesters attacked the British embassy in Tehran, because Iranians look upon Britain, their former colonial oppressors, as "a powerful agent of opposition to Iranian independence and the Islamic Revolution."
As when President Obama recently made a token gesture toward Iran by talking for a few minutes with newly elected President Rouhani, Israel continues to insist that Tehran is buying time to complete a nuclear weapon.
