The departure of British Prime Minister Tony Blair could have a "positive impact" if it leads to a change in the country's foreign policy, Iran's foreign minister said.
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Mr Blair's announcement yesterday he would step down next month after a decade as British prime minister would be a "break for the Labour Party and the hard situation" they are facing.
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki. Image: Reuters.
"If there will be a correction to some extent . . . in their foreign policy . . . then definitely it can have positive impact as a possible factor in the foreign policy in some fields such as Iran," Mr Mottaki said on state television last night.
"Let's see . . . how the policies towards Iran will be," he added, referring to Britain under Mr Blair's expected successor, Gordon Brown.
Britain under Mr Blair has been a close ally of President Bush in Iraq and in efforts to isolate Iran over its nuclear programme, which the West suspects is aimed at developing atom bombs. Tehran denies the charge.
Bilateral relations between Tehran and London hit another low in March when Iranian forces seized 15 British naval personnel in the Gulf. They were released unharmed almost two weeks later.