EU seeks closer ties with Iran after JCPOA: President Rouhani

President Hassan Rouhani says the European Union is willing to expand its relations with Iran, especially in the light of the circumstances that has ensued Tehran’s nuclear agreement with world powers.

According to Press TV, President Rouhani made the remarks in Tehran on Wednesday during a joint press conference with visiting Finnish President Sauli Niinistö, who is in the Iranian capital at the head of a large business delegation.

“During today’s discussions, we addressed the [existing] capacity of relations between Iran and the EU, especially after the JCPOA and the European side’s willingness to expand [bilateral] economic, scientific, and technological relations,” the Iranian chief executive noted.

On Monday, Foreign Ministry said an Iranian delegation composed of deputy foreign ministers are to hold general talks with EU officials in Brussels in December, saying the talks will cover a range of issues.

“Our ties with Europe are fundamental and age-old and we have numerous commonalities and can even differ on issues that have to do with values and regional affairs,” said Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi.

President Rouhani also said economic ties with Finland had suffered prior to the JCPOA’s implementation as a result of the anti-Iran sanctions, but voiced certainty that the Finnish leader’s visit to Tehran would be a fresh start for the expansion of their relations.

President Rouhani also said it had been agreed during the trip that the two countries should expand banking relations, have direct flights between Tehran and Helsinki and establish a railway track that would connect the two states via Baku and Moscow.

The two statesmen had also addressed the developments in Middle Eastern states, namely Iraq, Syria, Libya, Yemen, and discussed the need for international cooperation against terrorism.

For his part, the Finnish head of state hailed the long-standing cooperation between the two nations, saying, “Iran was one of the first countries to recognize Finnish independence.”

“I believe that now, the Islamic Republic of Iran and Finland will cooperate further,” said Niinistö, describing the nuclear deal between Iran and the P5+1 states as an important milestone.  

 “I have brought with me a large business delegation and they have been very satisfied with their discussions with their colleagues from Iran,” he said.

SS