British, Iranian top diplomats to meet in NY this month

LONDON - The British and Iranian foreign ministers will meet in New York later this month, London said on Sunday, after both sides indicated they wanted to restore ties broken after an attack on the British embassy in Tehran in 2011.

"They will be meeting but we have no further details at this stage," a Foreign Office spokeswoman told AFP, adding the meeting would take place on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

The talks between Hague and foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif were requested by the British government following the election of new Iranian President Hassan Rowhani in June.

London suspended diplomatic relations with Iran after hardline demonstrators stormed its Tehran embassy in November 2011, in an attack Britain said appeared to be state-sponsored.

But both sides have indicated they are open to restoring ties.

Prime Minister David Cameron told lawmakers last Monday: "We have effectively reached out to the Iranian government after the recent elections.

"And I have written to President Rowhani, so we are prepared to start trying to have a relationship with them."