UK Gov’t Willing to Boost Trade Ties with Iran, Envoy Says
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Ambassador to London Hamid Baeidinejad said the UK government is willing to promote economic relations with the Islamic Republic but there are some problems in boosting bilateral trade which should be settled.
“The British government is willing to expand its economic ties with Iran in the new term, but there are some challenges that should be overcome to reach the desired point,” Baeidinejad said on social media on Friday.
The diplomat further described the US sanctions against Iran as the most important challenge facing trade ties between the two countries.
The ambassador also referred to important agreements signed between Iran and the United Kingdom shortly after the 2015 nuclear agreement, including the deal to launch the world's fifth biggest solar power plant in Iran, the deal with Airbus to purchase planes and aircraft parts and the agreement with Rolls Royce, saying that the deals were not implemented due to the polices of US President Donald Trump.
The remarks come against the backdrop of increased tensions between Iran and the US with Washington imposing new sanctions against the Islamic Republic.
The US has ratcheted up pressure on Iran since last year after withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Since then, the administration of US President Donald Trump is trying to reduce Iran’s oil exports to “zero,” and has sent an aircraft carrier strike group, a bomber squad, an amphibious assault ship, and a Patriot missile battery to the Middle East to try to stack up pressure on Tehran.
Iranian officials, however, have dismissed such moves as psychological warfare, saying the country has its own ways of circumventing the American bans.
