The UK will reopen its Tehran embassy this weekend as relations warm between Iran and the West. The embassy was closed in 2011 after protesters, angry over the UK's imposition of sanctions on Iran, scaled the walls and the gates of the embassy, burning British flags and a car.
Philip Hammond will become the first foreign secretary to visit the city in 14 years, according to The Guardian.
The UK Foreign Office confirmed to Mashable that the foreign secretary will be visiting Tehran "over the coming days,” but was not able to confirm anything further.
The restoration of the ambassador's residence and some of the buildings comes after a July 14 accord between Iran and six world powers on Tehran's nuclear program. Tehran has already had visitors from France, Italy, Germany and the EU. The big oil companies and other businesses have also been racing to get a foothold in the country as sanctions are set to ease.
The Iranian embassy in London will be reopened at the same time.
A new ambassador to Tehran hasn't been announced but the current nonresident chargé d'affaires, Ajay Sharma, will lead a team of diplomats in the interim.
It had been expected that full diplomatic relations would be restored sooner, but technical issues tripped up progress. British diplomats ripped up communications equipment in the embassy when they left. Replacing it took a long time because of an Iranian rule that no single diplomatic bag can weigh more than 15 kg (33 pounds).
The U.S. hasn't had an embassy in Tehran since 1979, when Iranian students stormed the U.S. embassy and ultimately held 52 diplomats hostage for 444 days.
But speculation has been rife that, after restoring ties with Cuba, Tehran will be next on President Barack Obama's list. When asked about an embassy opening, Obama told NPR in December 2014, "I never say never, but I think these things have to go in steps."