Rouhani Calls for Close Cooperation with Europe

Ashton in Tehran - Meeting with Human Rights Activist

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton met with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani today and discussed the ongoing nuclear talks between Iran and P5+1 and Iran-EU relations.

“Having properly passed through the current stage (of nuclear talks), we will reach a climate where the two sides will face very important and strategic issues and in that atmosphere Iran and the European Union can have strategic ties with each other, for example in the fields of energy and transit,” Rouhani told Ashton. (IRNA/Press TV, 9 March)

“Iran and the European Union can hold talks and have cooperation on regional issues including the fight against terrorism and extremism, the issues of Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq and narcotics trafficking,” Rouhani added.

IRNA reported that Ashton had said in the meeting that the EU acknowledges the important role of Iran in the region and is ready to develop more dynamic ties with the country.

Ashton will held talks on Sunday with Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani, Senior Advisor to Supreme Leader Ali Akbar Velayati, and Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani.

On Saturday evening, upon her arrival in Tehran, Ashton met with Iranian human rights activist Narguess Mohammadi and mother of Sattar Beheshti, whose son died in custody.

Photo above: Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani (R) and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton meet at Presidential Office in Tehran; 9 March 9 2014. (Press TV)

Photo below: Ashton greeting Sattar Behesti's mother, who hold a photo of her late son; Tehran. (Twitter/@Parpanchi)

Belgian FM in Tehran

Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders arrived in Tehran today and held talks with his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif and the Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. He told reporters that Iran's nuclear negotiations with world powers could lead to the restoration of trust between Tehran and the West.

“I hope relationships that are based on trust will be revived with the nuclear negotiations and when a clear, final agreement is reached,” Reynders said in a joint press conference with Zarif. (eubusiness.com)

Reynders is the third foreign minister from the European Union to visit Iran in the past two months, following in the footsteps of Italy's Emma Bonino and Sweden's Carl Bildt.

Zarif, for his part, expressed optimism for better economic cooperation with Europe.

“Our European friends should know that a good atmosphere and stable conditions have been created for investment in Iran,” Zarif said. (Fars News Agency/eubusiness, 23 February)

Reynders said he also discussed human rights in talks with Iranian officials, which included "the death penalty, freedom of speech and women rights."

“On all these issues, we want an open dialogue,” he said.

He also announced, without providing details, that the European Union's special representative for human rights Stavros Lambrinidis would visit Iran.

Reynders also said Iran should be part of a political solution to the conflict Syria -- where it is a key ally of President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

Photo credit: Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders (L) and his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif; Tehran, 23 February 2014. (@Iran/Twitter)

Majlis Drafts Bill to Block EU-Bound Oil Tankers

The National Security and Foreign Policy Committee of the Iranian Majlis drafted a bill today calling on the government to stop oil tankers from shipping crude through the Strait of Hormuz to countries that support sanctions against Iran.

"There is a bill prepared in the National Security Committee (of Majlis) that requires the blocking of oil tanker traffic carrying oil to countries that have sanctioned Iran," Iranian MP and committee member Ebrahim Agha-Mohammadi said. "This bill has been developed as an answer to the European Union's oil sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran." (IRNA, 2 July)

Agha-Mohammadi added that 100 of Tehran's 290 members of parliament had signed the bill as of Sunday, the day EU’s embargo on imports of Iranian oil began. 

EU-Iran Diplomatic Crisis

Hours after Tehran announced that the imprisoned staff of the British Embassy will be put on trial; all member nations of the European Union summoned Iran ambassadors in their respective countries and warned Iran of serious consequences if the imprisoned British employees were not freed. Presumably two out of the original nine staff members who were arrested last week still remain in prison. The nine had been charged for participating in the recent anti-government uprising.

The EU also announced that it will review its relationship with Iran next week after the Group of Eight industrial nations meeting in Italy.