Iran’s Zarif, British, Norwegian Counterparts Discuss JCPOA


TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif made separate phone calls to his British and Norwegian counterparts to discuss a range of issues, including latest efforts to save the 2015 nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

In the telephone conversation with Zarif on Monday, UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt highlighted the commitment of London and other parties to the JCPOA to implementation of the deal. 

He also stressed the need for immediate establishment and implementation of Europe’s special payment mechanism known as Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) in a bid to maintain economic cooperation with Iran.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Ine Marie Eriksen Soreide, too, pledged her country’s support for the JCPOA implementation in her talks with Zarif and underlined the need for closer cooperation between Tehran and Oslo.

Zarif and Eriksen Soreide also discussed the Danish police’s accusation against a Norwegian-Iranian citizen.

The Iranian top diplomat once again expressed Tehran’s preparedness to have all-out cooperation with European governments in order to reveal the truth, stressing the need for shedding light on all aspects of the issue.

Denmark’s Security and Intelligence services recently said they had arrested a Norwegian citizen of Iranian descent for allegedly planning the assassination of the leader of a separatist group that was behind a terrorist attack on a military parade in Iran’s Ahvaz on September 22 that killed civilians and military forces.

Iran has strongly denied the allegations. Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi last Tuesday said such accusations are in line with the conspiracies and plots of the enemies of Iran who cannot stand the good and growing relations between Tehran and Europe in the current special situation.