Iran Press/ Iran News: Saeed Khatibzaed told the reporters on Thursday that the British government's debt to the Iranian people was restored directly without the intervention of any intermediary country, as the western media claimed.
The British government's debt to Iran dates back to 50 years ago when the Shah regime paid in advance to the UK to purchase Chieftain tanks, but the western country refused to deliver the tanks.
Khatibzaed said the Islamic Republic of Iran's diplomats managed to force the UK to repay the £390 million debt to the Iranian nation after more than 40 years, through an intensive negotiation and despite the obstacles improvised repeatedly by the British side.
He stressed that the debt retaken was in the absolute possession of Iran and the way the money was to be spent did subject to its government and that the British side was not allowed to intervene in the issue.
The initial dispute centered on a 1970s defense deal between the Iranian defense ministry and International Military Services (IMS), a venture wholly owned by the MoD.
IMS agreed on a deal in 1971 to sell the shah of Iran more than 1,500 Chieftain tanks and armored vehicles. The contracts were canceled in February 1979 after the shah was deposed in a revolution. Iran had already paid for the undelivered tanks and demanded its money back.
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