Downing Street Says

Asked for more information on the expulsion of the Iranian diplomats, the Prime Minister s Spokesman (PMS) told the assembled press that as the Prime Minister had said in his statement, the Iranian government took the decision to expel two diplomats from our embassy in Tehran. We viewed this decision as unjustifiable and baseless and we had decided to reciprocate.

Today, we had informed the Iranian Ambassador in London of the expulsion of two members of staff from the Iranian embassy. The Prime Minister had also said that these events were regrettable; we wanted a mature and constructive bilateral relationship with Iran and we hoped we could return to one as soon as possible. The Iranian Ambassador was called in to the FCO at lunchtime and met with Sir Peter Ricketts, the Permanent Under-Secretary.

Asked what reason had been given for the expulsion of the UK diplomats, the PMS replied that the reason had been for activities incompatible with their diplomatic status, which we rejected entirely.

Asked what level the diplomats were, the PMS said he would not get into detail on that subject. Asked how many diplomats were still in the embassy in Tehran, the PMS advised people to speak to the Foreign Office.

Asked if there was any more detail on the UK diplomats and what the phrase used to describe why they had been expelled meant, the PMS said that on the second question, any claim that they were engaged in activities incompatible with their diplomatic status was completely baseless and the action was unjustifiable. For any further explanation the PMS suggested that people should speak to the Iranian government.

In terms of the members of staff, they had been given a week to leave and likewise for the Iranian diplomats in London.

Put that the situation was tit for tat, the PMS said that it was a response to the action that the Iranian government had taken, which was unjustifiable. Put that if the reason given by the Iranian government was baseless then the expulsion must have been politically motivated, the PMS replied that the Foreign Secretary had responded to the fact that the UK was singled out by the Supreme Leader. We rejected the allegations that had been made about the UK. The UK sought a positive relationship with Iran, but clearly we needed to respond to this unjustifiable action that they had decided to take.

Asked to describe the relationship between the UK and Iran, the PMS said he would describe the kind of relationship that we wanted with Iran, which was a positive one. There were ongoing issues, particularly in regards to the nuclear programme, where the international community had legitimate and pressing concerns about that programme and they still needed to be addressed. We had made our position very clear.

Asked whether he thought the Iranian government was attacking the small Satan because the big Satan was extending the arm of friendship, the PMS said that that was a question for the Iranian government.

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» Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Iran

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