Britain regrets culture council closure in Iran

The British embassy in Tehran on Thursday expressed regret over the suspension of its cultural activities in the Iranian capital, which added to tensions already strained over Iran's nuclear program.

The British Council cultural organization said Wednesday it had suspended its operations in Tehran after the "intimidation" of local staff by the Iranian authorities.

The council said it had "no choice" but to act after the authorities summoned most of its 16 local staff for "interviews" in December and "suggested to them that they should resign from their posts at the British Council."

Two members of staff also had their passports confiscated after they tried to leave the country to go to a meeting, the council said, prompting the organization to suspend all operations in Iran on Jan. 31.

The British embassy said it hoped the cultural offices could re-open soon.

"With regret, the embassy's cultural and education activities have had to be suspended, as a result of action taken by the Iranian authorities," embassy spokeswoman Mitra Behnam Mojtahedi told AFP.

"We remain committed to developing cultural and educational links between the people of Iran and the UK, and we hope to resume our work as soon as possible," she said.

We remain committed to developing cultural and educational links between the people of Iran and the UK, and we hope to resume our work as soon as possible,

British embassy spokeswoman Mitra Behnam Mojtahedi

"These actions by the Iranian authorities are unacceptable," British Council chief executive Martin Davidson said in a statement.

"They are designed to pressurize our staff with the clear intention of stopping our cultural and educational work in the country."

Davidson said he was "disappointed," saying that "maintaining open and constructive dialogue between countries is vital during difficult times," but hoped operations could resume as soon as possible.

Speaking to the BBC later, he refused to speculate whether the row had anything to do with the arrival of a new U.S. president in the White House.

They are designed to pressurize our staff with the clear intention of stopping our cultural and educational work in the country,

British Council chief executive Martin Davidson

Tensions with U.S., Britain

Tensions with the United States and Britain, already high over Iran's nuclear ambitions, increased this week with the launch of Iran's first satellite. Iran says its program is for power generation, not building an atomic bomb as the West suspects.

"It's very difficult to say," he said, adding that stronger cultural ties would "stand us in good stead when the political relationship recovers".

Last month, Iran warned the BBC's Tehran bureau against contributing to the network's newly launched Farsi language television channel, which is banned from operating in Iran.

A major diplomatic row between the two countries erupted in March 2007 when Iran seized a group of 15 British sailors on a navy patrol near the Shatt al-Arab waterway between Iraq and Iran.

The group was held for nearly two weeks before being released.

British officials insisted the group was carrying out routine anti-smuggling operations in Iraqi waters, but Iran claimed they were in its territory and broadcast apparent confessions from some detainees.

Diplomatic pressure

While officially an independent non-profit charity, the British Council receives a large part of its funding from Britain's Foreign Office.

In recent years, the British Council came under pressure as Anglo-Russian relations deteriorated. Russia forced the closure of some regional offices, saying they were not legal, and tax inspectors filed claims against it, although a Russian court later threw out most of the claims.

Foreign Office Minister Bill Rammell said on Wednesday Britain believed Iran was just years away from developing a nuclear capability and said London was prepared to go it alone with tougher sanctions if necessary.

A Foreign Office spokesman said it was "very disappointed" the council had had to suspend Iranian operations. "The British Council is a non-political organization and the Iranian harassment of British Council staff is unacceptable," he said.

The council, which promotes cultural and educational links, first set up an office in Iran in 1942, but closed in 1979 after the Islamic revolution. It reopened in 2001 at the request of the Iranian authorities.