Tehran Mulling Talks with London over Human Rights Violations in Britain

Iran is considering talks with the British authorities over the continued and severe violation of human rights in Britain, an Iranian parliamentarian said, but meantime underlined that talks are unlikely to persuade the British government to change its suppressive attitude towards protesters.
Speaking to FNA on Wednesday, Head of the Iranian parliament’s Human Rights Commission Zohreh Elahian said Iran pursues human rights interaction with the other states, and added that the British Charge D’affaires in Tehran, Jane Marriott, has recently demanded talks with Iranian officials about human rights issues.

“We pursue human rights interaction with other states, but we believe that talks over this issue (suppression of protester by London) would produce no effect,” Elahian told FNA on Wednesday.

She questioned Marriott’s letter in which the British diplomat has described the British police as one of the best police forces in the world.

“The British government is dealing with its own people violently due to its colonialist attitude, hence, we believe that talks will not change Britain’s policies. Yet, we will consider the option if the British charge d’affaires insists,” Elahian noted.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry had earlier summoned Marriott over the persistent use of violence by the British police to crack down on protesters.

At the meeting, the Iranian official in charge of the Foreign Ministry’s Department for West European Affairs informed Marriott of Tehran’s concerns over the British police’s excessive use of force and violence against protesters.

The Iranian official called on the British government to “heed the true demands and requests” of protesters in the country.