Top Iran, Sweden diplomats discuss JCPOA-related issues, consular ties over phone
The top Iranian and Swedish diplomats have exchanged views on issues of common interest, including the 2015 nuclear deal and bilateral relations.
According to Press TV, Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his Swedish counterpart, Ann Linde, held a phone conversation on Tuesday to discuss the latest international developments, regional issues, and bilateral ties, including consular relations, between Tehran and Stockholm.
During the call, Zarif referred to the United States’ unlawful and unfair sanctions against the Islamic Republic and criticized European countries for their failure to fulfill their commitments under the nuclear deal, officially named the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
He also advised Linde that Sweden must not sacrifice its own independence and sovereignty in the face of the United States' bullying policies.
The JCPOA was reached on July 14, 2015 between Iran and a group of countries then known as the 5+1 group — which included the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China, and Germany.
In May 2018, US President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled his country out of the JCPOA and re-instated the anti-Iran sanctions that had been lifted under the accord.
Under US pressure, Europe has so far been unable to deliver on its contractual obligation to undo the negative impact of Washington’s illegal bans on the Islamic Republic.
The US withdrawal and the ensuing European failure to protect its business ties with Tehran prompted Iran to suspend parts of its commitments under the agreement.
In a message to the king of Sweden in June, President Hassan Rouhani expressed Tehran’s willingness to enhance bilateral and multilateral cooperation with Stockholm.
Highlighting the “delicate and critical conditions” caused by the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, Rouhani expressed hope that cooperation and rapport among the Iranian and Swedish officials would contribute to the enhancement of world peace and stability and closer relations between Tehran and Stockholm at the bilateral and international levels.
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