Iran parliament votes to downgrade relations with UK

[Jimbuna]

Oh dear oh dear oh dear.

Whoever will we talk to now?

Iran's parliament has voted by a large majority to downgrade diplomatic relations with the UK.

The move comes after the UK Treasury imposed sanctions on Iranian banks on Tuesday, accusing them of facilitating the country's nuclear programme.

[Oberon]

How can you downgrade something that is non-existent?

this is truly a sad day, now what we gonna do.

[Schroeder]

Boy, you islanders really know how to isolate yourselves.

[Torplexed]

TEHRAN (Reuters) - The mayor of Tehran has launched legal proceedings against the British embassy which he accuses of destroying an embassy garden in the Iranian capital -- the latest spat in a prickly relationship with London. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman confirmed on Tuesday that the judiciary was investigating Mayor Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf's accusation that 300 trees had been cut or burnt down at one of two British embassy compounds in the Iranian capital. The embassy denied the charge, saying extension works on the metro had disrupted the water supply causing 31 trees to die.

Qalibaf -- considered by analysts to be a strong future candidate for the Iranian presidency -- told Iranian newspapers Britain's disregard for the environment at the compound in Tehran's leafy Gholhak neighbourhood was an example of its historic hostility to Iran.

Might be bad memories of 30 years ago on my part, but you Britons might want to consider cutting staff at your embassy. They could send in arborists under the pretext oft replanting and the next thing you know it's hostage time.

[nikimcbee]

that 300 trees had been cut or burnt down

300 trees! You're lucky earth first doesn't visit you guys!





I'll do my best Al Murray impersonation of a Scottish-Iranian:
"You tree murdering English bastids!

[TLAM Strike]

So Iranian Foreign Policy is now something like this:
Great Satan: America
Lesser Satan: Israel
Minor Satan who cuts down dead trees: Britain

[nikimcbee]

Iran strikes back...

[MH]

Iranians go green all the way...prise the Allah.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Schroeder

Boy, you islanders really now how to isolate yourselves.

LOL...I look upon it as a piece of good fortune

[Oberon]

(Strong Language)

[Platapus]

Can we get a link to the original source?

I am not aware of how diplomatic relations can be downgraded. Diplomatic relations are like being pregnant. Either you does or you aint' got diplomatic relations.

Now the diplomatic relations can be strained or even hostile. But what exactly does it mean when a country decides to downgrade diplomatic relations?

Being that this concerns Iran and the sources are probably occidental, I always suspect biases in translation.

[August]

Originally Posted by Torplexed

Might be bad memories of 30 years ago on my part, but you Britons might want to consider cutting staff at your embassy. They could send in arborists under the pretext oft replanting and the next thing you know it's hostage time.

This is some wise advice.

[jumpy]

meh, soulds like they've voted to expel our ambassador as a result of UK support of new sanctions raised by the UN's report on irans nuclear ambitions.

It's either that or iran is doing old dave 'shiny cheeks' a favour to cover up for our latest round of austerity cuts.

Both sound good to me

[Gerald]

Originally Posted by Platapus

Can we get a link to the original source?

I am not aware of how diplomatic relations can be downgraded. Diplomatic relations are like being pregnant. Either you does or you aint' got diplomatic relations.

Now the diplomatic relations can be strained or even hostile. But what exactly does it mean when a country decides to downgrade diplomatic relations?

Being that this concerns Iran and the sources are probably occidental, I always suspect biases in translation.

Here,

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-15908525