TEHRAN -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has advised Britain to rectify its policy toward Iran.

“The Iranian nation will not allow anyone to interfere in its internal affairs, and we hope that the British government will make amends for its mistakes,” Ahmadinejad said here on Sunday during a meeting with the new British ambassador to Tehran, Simon Gass, in which the British diplomat submitted his credentials to the president.
Iran has accused the British Embassy in Tehran of provoking the unrest that occurred after the June 12 presidential election, a charge denied by the British government.
Although the Iranian nation has many bad memories about its relations with Britain, the country is looking to the future and hopes that Britain has learned a good lesson, Ahmadinejad added.
“Your mission as an ambassador is to turn these negative memories into positive memories,” he told the British envoy.
He went on to say that the Iranian people regard the dispute over the nuclear issue to be over, and the nation “will not negotiate” over its nuclear rights with anyone.
“Access to nuclear technology meant for peaceful purposes is the Iranian nation’s lawful and indisputable right, and the Iranian nation will not negotiate over its inalienable rights with anyone. But we are ready to negotiate about international cooperation and (ways to) resolve global economic and security problems, and we believe these problems can” only be solved with everyone’s cooperation, he stated.
Ahmadinejad criticized the United States and Britain for their policies in the region and expressed hope that the two countries would rectify these policies.
Although the military approach harms regional nations, the U.S. and Britain themselves are the ones most seriously affected by it, he said.
Gass stated that Britain is not proud of the history of its relations with Iran.
“Britain seeks new ties with the Islamic Republic of Iran based on mutual respect,” he said.
The new British ambassador also said there are many grounds for cooperation between Tehran and London, and the current situation has provided an opportunity to improve relations.
New ambassadors submit credentials to president
The new ambassadors of Georgia, New Zealand, Armenia, and Kazakhstan also submitted their credentials to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sunday.
The ambassadors congratulated Ahmadinejad on his victory in the June 12 presidential election and called for the expansion of relations with the Islamic Republic.
During separate meetings with the new ambassadors, the Iranian president said regional and global peace and security should be based on two principles: justice and active participation by every country.
And all countries should make efforts to administer justice and promote international cooperation, he added.
He also stated that Iran is keen to expand its relations with all countries.