Iran declares stance within framework of global interaction

TEHRAN(Defapress)-'Iran has interaction with all countries,' Bahram Qasemi told, After the US President Donald Trump's 'illegal and counter-international regulation' exit from the multilateral July 2015 nuclear agreement formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the Islamic Republic of Iran, especially the diplomatic organ and Foreign Minister Mohammad-Javad Zarif, have started broad movements and held contacts with other governments in order to reveal Washington's unilateral breach of commitments, Qasemi said.

Trump announced his decision about the Iran deal on May 8 and withdrew his country unilaterally from the international agreement. Many world powers, including Russia, China, and the European Union (EU) are against Trump's decision.

Qasemi added that to this end, initially the foreign minister visited Beijing, Moscow and Brussels, where he met with the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, and his UK, French and German counterparts.

Later, Iranian president travelled to China for the May 10 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the visit was an ample opportunity for negotiating with presidents of Russia and the host country about the important questions, Qasemi said.

In line with these broad diplomatic efforts, Iranian Foreign Ministry planned to dispatch the message of President Rouhani to his counterparts in different regions in order to let them be aware of Iran's latest stances on the JCPOA, he added.

To declare Iran's stance, Vice-President for Women and Family Affairs Massoumeh Ebtekar flew to Malaysia and Indonesia, Vice-President for Legal Affairs Laya Joneydi travelled to the Netherlands, Minister of Energy Reza Ardekanian visited Armenia and Georgia and a number of foreign minister deputies departed for Venezuela, Bolivia, Uganda, Tunisia, Brazil, Chile and some Arab regional countries, Qasemi said.

Qasemi went on to say that there has remained some other countries to which the president's envoys will flew in the coming days and weeks.

Asked about the level of talks with world countries, Qasemi said the level of negotiations are surely different because countries based on their international positions and influence have high or low priority for Iran.

As he said, Russia and China as members of the UN Security Council and also European Union and Germany as well as certain neighboring countries which have good economic ties with Iran are undoubtedly on the list of Tehran's priorities due to the clear reasons.

The official further described the efforts made by certain Western media to make wrong analysis of the Iranian envoys' visits and tell lies about them as 'big strategic mistake.'

Turning to Iran's special relations with certain states, including Russia, Qasemi said Tehran has recently had good cooperation with Moscow, as a neighboring country and a regional power, to fight against terrorism and bring regional security.

In line with these relations, Ali Akbar Velayati, senior advisor to Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, is to meet with the Russian President Vladimir Putin later in the day in order to present the messages of Iran's Leader and president to Moscow, Qasemi said, stressing that today meeting of Velayati will also focus on other important strategic questions.

Talking of the diplomatic aims of the envoys' visits, Qasemi said they have been taking place in continuation of Iran's policy on further and better interaction with the world.

All those meetings and contacts are aimed at coming up with the same ideas, reaching mutual understanding and exchanging viewpoints about the current conditions, the top diplomat said stressing such visits, without a doubt, are not against any other countries.

During such meetings, the envoys try to elaborate on dangerous effects of the illegitimate, unprecedented and unilateral decisions made by the US for others, Qasemi said.

Referring to the JCPOA joint commission meeting held in Vienna at the level of ministers about a week ago, Qasemi said the meeting discussed the latest questions about [Iran's] economic cooperation with the EU, China and Russia after the US withdrawal from the Iran Deal.

He added the expert talks still continue.

At the end of the interview, Qasemi expressed hope that the European side would soon present its reasonable and practical proposal to guarantee continuation of implementation of the JCPOA, the guarantee which will satisfy Iran if it is firm.

Iran's president, in response to the US' May decision about the Iran deal, has ordered the Foreign Ministry to consult with European countries, Russia and China about the issue.

'If Iran's national interests are secured, we will remain in the deal.' Rouhani has said.

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