With police sealing off the site for safety, Britain on Sunday reopened its embassy in the Iranian capital, raising the Union Jack for the first time since the landmark diplomatic compound was stormed in 2011 by Iranian hardliners.
The reestablishment of a British diplomatic presence in Tehran – and the reopening hours later of Iran’s mission in London – marked another milestone in the Islamic republic’s cautiously improving ties with the West.
Last month, Iran and six Western powers, including the United States, reached a historic accord calling for long-term curbs on Iran’s nuclear program, although the pact still needs congressional approval.