Iran has also reopened its embassy in London.
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Eyeing deals between British firms and Iran, particularly in the oil and financial sectors, Hammond said preparatory work should be done before lifting sanctions so that investment can start to flow as soon as the measures are removed.
He criticized double-standard policy of certain western countries with regard to important issues, including fight against terrorism, drug trafficking, human rights and foreign occupation.
Mr Hammond also said that after meeting with Mr Rouhani, the Iranian president expressed his desire for a new chapter in its relations with Britain and the West.
Now, Iran has reached a deal with six of the major world powers, which is created to curb its military ambition in terms of nuclear development, and the signing of the deal has rapidly unlocked a number of doors – not least the doors of the embassies in London and Tehran.
He travelled to Iran on Sunday to restart diplomatic relations by reopening the UK embassy, which had been closed for four years, and met with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.
“The reopening of embassies in Tehran and London was an important symbolic step that has led to effective and trust-building dialogues between the two countries, providing an opportunity for a better understanding of each other’s positions”, he said.
Hammond has previously estimated that $150 billion of Iranian assets frozen outside the country would be released by the nuclear deal.
The agreement prompted a flurry of European visits – including from German and French ministers – aimed at positioning for the end of Iran’s long economic isolation. Visits have already taken place; Iranian museum directors and curators travelled to the U.S.in 2013 as part of a State Department programme, with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (Lacma) on the itinerary.
A delegation of senior business leaders flew with Hammond from Britain to Iran, including representatives from Royal Dutch Shell.
Iran expelled Britain’s ambassador in November 2011 over its support for tougher sanctions.
In 2007, Iranian media even claimed to have discovered a secret tunnel running from the embassy under a carpet shop which was used to smuggle “spies and prostitutes”.
Hammond is the first British foreign secretary to visit Iran since Jack Straw in 2003.
Britain has been cast for decades by opponents inside Iran as a perfidious “Old Fox” or “Little Satan” who does the bidding of “Big Satan”, the United States.
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Two days later hundreds of protesters stormed the embassy.
