Iran’s parliament votes to downgrade ties with Britain after new sanctions

Al Arabiya with Agencies, Dubai

Iran’s parliament approved a draft bill on Sunday to reduce diplomatic and economic relations with Britain after
London increased sanctions on Tehran over its nuclear program, the official IRNA news agency reported. In the 290-strong parliament, 179 voted in favour, four against and 11 abstained. The bill obliges the government to reduce ties within two weeks, a move that would force the ambassador out and leave the British embassy to be run by a charge d’affaires. Debate continued on whether to stiffen the retaliation further, and lawmakers were discussing whether to also punish other Western countries imposing sanctions. Britain described as “regrettable” Sunday a vote by Iran’s parliament to expel its ambassador to Tehran, and warned London would respond “robustly” if the threat was followed through according to a report in AFP. “The Iranian parliament’s vote to expel our ambassador is regrettable,” a Foreign Office spokesman said, adding: “If the Iranian government acts on this, we will respond robustly in consultation with our international partners.”

The final decision will have to go to Iran’s Guardians Council for approval before it takes effect.

After the parliamentary bill was introduced on Wednesday, Britain said ‘it would be regrettable’ if its ambassador to Tehran, Dominick Chilcott, were to be expelled. Chilcott took up his post last month.

Britain, in coordination with the United States and Canada, announced November 14 new sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, after a report by the U.N. atomic energy watchdog this month suggesting Tehran was researching nuclear weapons.

On Saturday, Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the new sanctions hurt chances for further negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program.

“You impose sanctions on us, use many means against us and expect us to be ready to discuss the nuclear program with you?” Ahmadinejad said according to Fars news agency.

Ahmadinejad has previously said Iran will not budge “one iota” from its peaceful atomic activities.

Britain is resented by many Iranians for its exploitation of its oil in the early 20th century and its involvement with the United States in a 1953 coup which ousted Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadeq who had nationalized the oil industry.

The hardliners that run the Islamic Republic accuse Britain and other western countries of colluding with anti-government protesters after the contested re-election of President Ahmadinejad in 2009.

The parliament’s website said there would be a demonstration outside the British embassy on Tuesday, the first anniversary of the death of Majid Shahriyari, a nuclear scientist killed along with his wife by a car bomb that Tehran said was the work of Israeli agents.