MOSCOW. Aug 12 (Interfax) - Russian Ambassador in Tehran Levan Dzhagaryan was invited to the Iranian Foreign Ministry on Thursday in connection with the publication of a photo featuring a meeting between the ambassador and his British colleague near a historical building in Tehran, the Russian embassy told Interfax.
"Russian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Islamic Republic of Iran Levan Dzhagaryan was invited to the Iranian Foreign Ministry today in connection with the mixed reaction of the Iranian public to a photo published together with British Ambassador in Tehran Simon Shercliff," the Russian embassy said.
"In the course of the meeting held in an amicable atmosphere, the Iranian side was given the necessary explanations, which have also been published on the embassy's social media. The ambassador regrets that such a misunderstanding occurred," the embassy said.
On Wednesday, the Russian embassy to Iran posted a photograph on Twitter of Dzhagaryan's meeting with the new British ambassador to Iran, Shercliff, and noted that the photo was taken "on the historical stairs, where the Tehran Conference took place in 1943."
Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif described the photo as "extremely inappropriate." "Need I remind all that August 2021 is neither August 1941 nor December 1943. The Iranian people have shown, including during the JCPOA [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action] talks, that their destiny can never be subject to decisions in foreign embassies or by foreign powers," Zarif said on Twitter.
The Iranian media said that a candidate for Iranian foreign minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, also criticized the photo, described it as non-diplomatic, and called for making amends.
The Russian embassy said earlier on Twitter that the photo "does not have an anti-Iranian connotation." "We had no intention of hurting the feelings of the friendly Iranian people. The only purpose of that photo was to pay tribute to the joint efforts of the allied countries in the fight against the Nazis during WWII. Iran is our friend and neighbor, and we will continue to strengthen relations on the basis of mutual respect," the embassy said.