Tehran appoints permanent envoy to London

Tehran appoints permanent envoy to London
Mohammad Hassan Habibollahzadeh has been appointed Iran's charge d'affaires to Britain, after a thaw in Tehran-London relations and reopening of the two countries' embassies.
1 min read
21 September, 2015
Britain severed diplomatic relations with Iran after activists stormed its embassy there in 2011 [Getty]
According to Iran's state TV, Tehran has appointed its non-resident diplomat as permanent top envoy to Britain.

The report, aired on Sunday, said Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif appointed Mohammad Hassan Habibollahzadeh as charge d'affaires to London.

The career diplomat has served as non-resident charge d'affaires to Britain for the past two years.

Habibollahzadeh has previously served in Russia and Switzerland and as Tehran's envoy to the International Maritime Organization.

Iran and Britain reopened their embassies on August during a visit to Tehran by British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond.

The move came nearly four years after hard-liners protestors in Tehran stormed the British embassy in November 2011.

The detente also follows the signing of an agreement between P5+1 countries and Iran over the latter's nuclear programme.