British foreign minister in Tehran to hold high-level talks with Iranian officials

Tabnak – UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson plans to make a visit to Tehran today for key talks with senior Iranian officials as part of a three-country trip across the Middle East. Upon his visit, he emphasized Iran’s status in the region.

Heading a delegation, Johnson would arrive in Tehran on Saturday, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi said on Friday. He added that during the visit, the sides would discuss the latest developments pertaining to Tehran-London relations, particularly in trade and economic sectors, as well as leading regional and international issues.

Johnson is expected to meet Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani.

Earlier on Saturday and before starting his trip, Johnson refereed to Iran an important country in the region. “Iran is a significant country in a strategically important, but volatile and unstable region which matters to the UK's security and prosperity,” the British daily newspaper “The Telegraph” quoted Johnson as saying on the eve of his visit to Iran.

“My first visit is an opportunity to hold further discussions on a series of crucial issues, including how we can find a political solution to the devastating conflict in Yemen and secure greater humanitarian access to ease the immense suffering there,” Jonson told reporters before leaving London for Tehran.

“While our relationship with Iran has improved significantly since 2011, it is not straightforward and on many issues we will not agree,” British FM said, adding that “But I am clear that dialogue is the key to managing our differences and, where possible, making progress on issues that really matter, even under difficult conditions. I look forward to a constructive visit.”

The trip is the first for a UK Foreign Secretary to Iran since 2015 and only the third since 2003, according to the Foreign Office. Johnson was in Oman on Friday, before traveling to Iran Saturday and the United Arab Emirates Sunday.

According to reports, the UK foreign secretary will exchange views with Iranian officials on the landmark nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), reached between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries in 2015.

UK Prime Minister Theresa May on November 30 reaffirmed her country's support for the nuclear agreement in the face of the US administration's harsh rhetoric and threats to "terminate" it.

"We must stand firm in our support for the ... deal. This deal was the culmination of 13 years of diplomacy and a major step towards ensuring that Iran's nuclear program is not diverted for military purposes," she said.