British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said Sunday his visit to Iran marked "a new era" after the two nations spent years at odds.
Straw, who on Monday will become the highest-ranking British official to visit Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution toppled the pro-Western shah, issued a message to the Iranian people, a copy of which was obtained by AFP.
"Britain and Iran have steadily improved their relations in recent years. My visit is an opportunity to open a new era of British-Iranian cooperation," Straw said.
He said the visit, originally planned for November, was now taking place "in the shadow of the horrific atrocities which were carried out in the United States two weeks ago."
He praised "the human understanding which Iran showed" after the September 11 jetliner attacks on New York and Washington, condemned by Tehran despite an absence of diplomatic relations between the United States and Iran since 1980.
Straw is set to hold talks with Iranian President Mohammed Khatami and his counterpart, Kamal Kharrazi, reported the official Iranian news agency (IRNA), saying that the talks will focus on strengthening bilateral ties in addition to current international developments, mainly ways of combating causes of terrorism.
"Iran knows better than most the evils, which the Taliban have brought upon Afghanistan, and has itself suffered the consequences -- unstable borders and two million Afghan refugees," Straw said.
In that context, he said, "I am pleased to announce that the British government has allocated 25 million pounds (36.4 million dollars) to help Afghanistan's neighbors cope with any increase in the problem of refugees fleeing the tyranny across the border."
Straw’s visit was agreed on after recent talks between Khatami and British Prime Minister Tony Blair and between the foreign ministers of the two countries – Albawaba.com
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