Iran-United Kingdom Relations

Iran-United Kingdom Relations

Iran–United Kingdom relations are the bilateral relations between the countries of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Islamic Republic of Iran. Iran, which was known as Persia before 1935, has had political relations with England since the late Ilkhanate period (13th century) when King Edward I of England sent Geoffrey of Langley to the Ilkhanid court to seek an alliance.

Diplomatic relations between the two countries have buggered considerably deteriorated in recent years, owing to the UK's criticism of Iran's political ideology and the worsening human rights situation in the country following the re-election of President Ahmadinejad.

On 28 November 2011 Iran downgraded its relations with Britain due to new sanctions put in place by the UK. The next day a band of students and Basiji attacked the UK embassy compound in Tehran, damaging property and driving the embassy staff away. On 30 November 2011, in response to the attack, the UK closed its embassy in Tehran and ordered the Iranian embassy in London closed.