On Wednesday, the British Foreign Office modified its travel advice on Iran on its website, removing a recommendation that warned against travelling to Iran.

The new advice only warns British nationals to avoid travelling to “eastern Iran, including the Afghan and Pakistani borders.”

UK Foreign Secretary William Hague also announced the modification in the travel recommendation while addressing the House of Commons’ Foreign Affairs Committee in the British capital, London.

Hague said, “We will respond in good faith to positive action by Iran,” adding, “We are ready to improve our relations on a step-by-step basis.”

Earlier on July 4, former British foreign secretary Jack Straw welcomed the election of Hassan Rohani as Iran’s new president and said, “What I have been urging the government is that we do our best to reengage with Iranians, because there is a chance now that we can.”

He also expressed willingness to travel to Iran to help restore Tehran-London ties.

Rohani won Iran’s June 14 presidential election, garnering 50.7 percent of a total of 36,704,156 ballots.

Rohani, who will be inaugurated as Iran’s new president on August 4, said last month he will seek “constructive interaction” with the world through a moderate policy after he takes office.

Relations between the UK and the Islamic Republic of Iran have been fraught since the Iranian revolution in 1979, because Britain interfered in Iran’s internal and international affairs in different occasions.

NTJ/HH