Iran weighs cutting ties with London

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TEHRAN, Dec. 20 (UPI) -- Members of an Iranian foreign policy commissions considered a measure to sever ties with the British government, a lawmaker said.

Mohammad Karami-Rad, a member of the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, told state-funded broadcaster Press TV that London's "hostile acts" toward the Islamic republic were cause for concern.

"Members of the commission brought up very important and serious issues regarding a single-urgency motion to sever ties with Britain," he said.

Commissioners were critical of statements made by Simon Gass, the British envoy to Tehran, condemning Iran's human rights record.

"The British government has called on Iran to meet the obligations that it has freely signed to prevent arbitrary detention and offer fair trials," he said in a Dec. 9 statement marking International Human Rights Day.

The British envoy was speaking out against Iran's alleged practice of arbitrarily arresting journalists and political activists.

"Nowhere are they under greater threat than in Iran," Gass said.

The Iranian lawmaker said the measure needs to head for a formal vote before its approved.