Iran FM to UK counterpart: Tehran sanctions illegal

Hossein Ambir Abdollahian referred to the Vienna talks to revive the Iran nuclear deal and said the Islamic Republic welcomes negotiations which would produce tangible results and help achieve the rights of the Iranian people.

He called on Britain to take confidence building measures to resolve some problems in bilateral ties.

He also urged London to repay a decades-old debt of over 527 million dollars to Iran regarding the sales of British tanks and other vehicles to Iran.

Tehran had paid up for the items but most were never delivered because of sanctions imposed on Tehran after the Islamic Revolution.

Referring to the situation in Afghanistan, he expressed regret over the wrong policies of the United States and some other Western countries towards the country. He said achieving security and stability in this country depends on establishing an inclusive government with the participation of all ethnic groups and on efforts to practically confront terrorism there.

British Foreign Secretary Dominique Raab also expressed hope that following the establishment of the new government in Iran, relations and interactions between the two countries will expand in various fields based on mutual understanding.