Iran calls for joint economic commission meeting with Switzerland

Stressing the need for the promotion of cooperation between Iran and Switzerland in various fields, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian voiced Tehran’s readiness to hold a new session of the Joint Economic Commission with the European country.

According to Tasnim news agency, in a telephone conversation on Tuesday, Amirabdollahian and his Swiss counterpart Ignazio Cassis talked about a range of issues, from the bilateral ties to the Vienna talks on the revival of the JCPOA.

The Iranian foreign minister referred to Switzerland’s important position in Europe, noting that the bilateral relations between the two countries are on the right track, and that the recent visit by the Swiss parliament speaker to Tehran was a turning point in parliamentary relations between Tehran and Bern.

Amirabdollahian also spoke of the efforts to solve some problems in expanding the activities of Swiss companies in Iran and stressed the need to expand relations between the two countries in various fields, including science, education, agriculture, transportation, health and banking.

He also expressed Tehran’s readiness to hold a joint economic commission with Switzerland, and expressed hope that this will materialize soon., the Foreign Ministry’s website reported.

For his part, the top Swiss diplomat referred to his visit to Iran on the 100th anniversary of relations between the two countries, highlighting the importance of Tehran-Bern relations.

The two foreign ministers also reviewed the situation in Afghanistan.

Amirabdollahian said that Iran encourages the current ruling body of Afghanistan to form an inclusive government. He expressed concern over the humanitarian situation in the country on the eve of the winter and called for an international effort to respond to the humanitarian situation and the situation of refugees in Afghanistan.

Amirabdollahian also announced the Islamic Republic’s readiness to help transfer aid to Afghanistan via the Iranian territory.

Cassis, in turn, noted that his country is on the same page with Iran regarding the need for the formation of an inclusive government in Afghanistan. He also praised the efforts of the Islamic Republic of Iran to find a diplomatic solution in Afghanistan, as well as Iran's hosting of Afghan asylum seekers.

Amirabdollahian noted that the talks to lift sanctions against Iran will begin next week in Vienna and stressed that Tehran is ready and serious to reach a good and immediate agreement. He, however, noted that the Islamic Republic does not trust the US behavior.

He noted that the US claims it is interested in returning to the Iran nuclear deal, JCPOA, on the one hand, and that it has imposed sanctions on Iranian individuals and companies in two stages over the past few weeks on the other hand.

Amirabdollahian added that the US’s contradictory behavior is one of the main obstacles in negotiations. He also pointed out that Iran judges the United States on the basis of its behavior.

ME