Iran, IAEA Have Joint Initiatives to Settle Safeguards Issues: Amirabdollahian
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Pointing to a series of initiatives developed jointly by Iran and the UN nuclear agency for the resolution of disputes over the Safeguards Agreement, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian urged the IAEA to adopt technical and non-political attitudes.
The Iranian foreign minister and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell discussed a range of issues in a telephone conversation on Sunday night.
Highlighting the interaction between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency over the issues relating to the Safeguards Agreement, Amirabdollahian said, “We are making arrangements for the (director general of the International Atomic Energy) Agency’s visit to Tehran and have joint initiatives on the agenda.”
Should the UN nuclear agency act with a technical and non-political approach, the achievement of a framework for the settlement of the disputes will be possible, the top Iranian diplomat added.
He also referred the massive presence of Iranians in the recent demonstrations in celebration of the anniversary of victory of the Islamic Revolution, denouncing certain European governments’ support for the pro-terrorism groups.
Deploring the hackneyed and obsolete policy of sanctions against Iran, he added, “The European Union’s behavior in the recent months is the continuation of the inefficient policy of ex-US president Trump which proves the continuance of the double and unrealistic standards coupled with instrumental use of human rights concepts.”
Amirabdollahian further reiterated the need to end the war in Ukraine, stressing that Iran has always called for ceasefire and diplomatic solutions to the Ukraine crisis.
“From the viewpoint of Iran, respecting the territorial integrity of countries will guarantee sustainable peace, as in Ukraine, and we have spared no effort for the purpose of pursuing a ceasefire and achieving peace,” he stated.
For his part, Borrell expressed pessimism about a ceasefire agreement in Ukraine in the coming weeks or even months.
Pointing to the hopefulness about the progress made in the course of cooperation between Iran and the IAEA, the EU foreign policy chief stressed the need to proceed with the negotiations to make headway in the issues being discussed.
Amirabdollahian and Borrell also discussed other subjects such as the relations between Iran and the European Union and the talks on the removal of sanctions against Tehran.
