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Iranian, Russian approaches to Mideast problems are very similar — Iran’s senior diplomat

Tehran and Moscow have been supporting the Syrian leadership and the people since the very beginning of the crisis in this country, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian notes

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian EPA/YOUSSEF BADAWI

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian

© EPA/YOUSSEF BADAWI

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TEHRAN, October 20. /TASS/. The stances of Moscow and Tehran regarding the Middle East problems are very similar, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said on Tuesday after arriving in London for a visit, the IRNA news agency reported.

"Tehran and Moscow have been supporting the Syrian leadership, the people and the government since the very beginning of the crisis in this country," he noted, referring to the latest events in Syria, in particular about the strikes of the Russian Aerospace Forces on terrorist positions. Apparently, the standpoint of the United States and European countries, specifically, the UK, are becoming closer to the real situation in this Arab country," he added.

The Iranian deputy foreign minister arrived in London at the invitation of the British Foreign Office. According to him, the purpose of the visit is to discuss with the British side the Middle East problems, including the Syrian crisis and the fight against terrorism. "The agenda of the talks between the two countries’ diplomatic delegation includes consultations on regional and humanitarian problems, on combating terrorism and extremism," he said.

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This is the first visit of the Iranian political delegation since the recent reopening of the British Embassy in Tehran and the Iranian Embassy in London. On November 27, 2011, the Iranian parliament endorsed a bill on lowering diplomatic relations with the UK to the level of charges d’affaires in response to the imposition of sanctions against Tehran.

Two days later, Iranian demonstrators stormed the UK Embassy in Tehran. On November 30, 2011, the British Foreign Office declared it was closing the diplomatic mission and evacuating the personnel from Iran, as well as minimizing relations. In December 2011, all Iranian diplomats in Britain were recalled to their homeland at the request of the British Foreign Office. In February 2014, the two countries reestablished direct diplomatic relations appointing non-resident charges d’affaires, and the embassies reopened earlier this year.

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Middle East and North Africa Syria Iran Syrian conflict

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