UK Foreign Secretary William Hague has told the British Parliament that the UK is ready to reopen its embassy in Tehran that was closed two and a half years ago.
Full diplomatic relations between the UK and Iran were suspended after attacks on the British Embassy in the Iranian capital in 2011.
The election of a new Iranian President and agreement on how to deal with Iran's nuclear programme has resulted in increased contact between the two countries in 2014.
"There are a range of practical issues that we will need to resolve first. However, it is our intention to reopen the embassy in Tehran with a small initial presence as soon as these practical arrangements have been made. I expect the Iranian government will similarly choose to take steps to reopen its embassy in London," he said.
Hague, who announced his decision in the House of Commons, said, "Inevitably, the initial embassy presence will only be able to offer a limited range of services at first. For the time being, Iranians will still need to apply in Abu Dhabi or Istanbul for visas for travel to the UK.