Iranian vandals sprayed ‘Death to England’ and other hate-filled graffiti on the walls of the British Embassy in Tehran while it was closed for the past four years. Photo: UK Embassy in Tehran.

Anti-UK vandals in Tehran scrawled “Death to the England” on the walls of the British Embassy in Iran, Israeli Channel 2 News reported on Sunday.

During the four years during which the embassy was closed, graffiti denouncing the UK and Queen Elizabeth had been spray-painted on the walls, with the words “Death to England” across the queen’s picture. Discovery of the defacement comes on the heels of the reopening of the embassy, a move spurred by the P5+1 agreement with Iran.

Iranian police were deployed to the embassy, as an Iranian parliament minister and university students gathered to protest the restoration of ties between the two countries.

Meanwhile, British Foreign Minister Philip Hammond, visiting Tehran, said his country is looking forward to establishing mutual economic and trade relations with Iran.

In contrast to the conciliatory tone adopted by British representatives, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif was more confrontational, saying that the reopening of the British Embassy in Tehran was just another indication of the perception of Iran’s influence and strength by world powers, Fars News Agency reported.

“The entire world has understood Iran’s constructive role in the region and the world and the reopening of the British Embassy in Tehran and the European countries’ presence in Iran are indicative of this,” Zarif told reporters in Tehran on Sunday.