Better Ties Linked to Hostages’ Release, Britain Tells Iran
Britain told Iran on Sunday that their relations will not improve until three British hostages held in Lebanon are freed.
Foreign Office Minister William Waldegrave made the point in a radio interview on the eve of talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Velayati in Paris today about the hostages--Church of England envoy Terry Waite, teacher Brian Keenan and journalist John McCarthy, who are among 16 Westerners held in Lebanon.
“We are not seeing so much movement on the hostages where we still do believe the Iranians have some influence,” Waldegrave said.
“We know there are a number of different factions in the Iranian government, but we think there are serious and important people in Iran who would like to see the hostage situation settled and out of the way.
“We will be emphasizing that until that happens there can be no hope of warm relations between our two countries because the British people would not stand for it,” Waldegrave said.
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