Zarif: Future Ties with EU Discussed with Ashton

(FNA)- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton conferred on ways to further expand the relations between Tehran and the EU and exchanged views over the latest developments in the region.

“We have had considerable discussions on the relations between Iran and the EU with Ms. Ashton and her colleagues,” Zarif said in a press conference after meeting Ashton in Tehran on Sunday morning.

He said that they have discussed the regional situation, the future of the relations between Iran and Europe, anti-terrorism and drug combat cooperation, establishment of security in Afghanistan and the dangerous and seriously worrying situation in Syria.

“We discussed the nuclear issue, implementation of the previous agreements and also how to proceed with this issue in future and we hope to be able to continue the path through cooperation of both sides,” Zarif said.

Ashton arrived in Tehran on Saturday afternoon to hold meetings with high-ranking Iranian officials over the latest world and regional developments as well as the relations between the European bloc and Iran.

Upon arrival at Tehran's International Mehrabad Airport, the EU foreign policy chief and her accompanying delegation were received by Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister and senior negotiator in the talks with the world powers Seyed Abbas Araqchi.

Ashton who heads the delegations of the Group 5+1 (the US, Russia, China, Britain and France plus Germany) in talks with Tehran over its nuclear program is accompanied by her Deputy Helga Schmidt in her first visit to Iran.

She held a meeting with Zarif this morning and is due to meet President Hassan Rouhani, Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani and Supreme Leader’s Senior Advisor Ali Akbar Velayati during her stay in Iran.

Ashton will also take a trip to the historical city of Isfahan, Central Iran, on Monday.

A senior diplomat announced on Friday that Ashton would concentrate on the relations between Iran and the European Union during her visit to Tehran.

“The subject of Ashton’s negotiations with the officials of the Islamic Republic is Iran-EU relations, although she will also discuss the issues related to Tehran’s nuclear standoff with the West,” Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for European and American Affairs Majid Takht Ravanchi told reporters on Friday.

After three days of talks in February, Zarif announced that he and Ashton have agreed to meet once a month by June to discuss the issues related to the talks between Tehran and the world powers.

“We agreed to hold several meetings at the level of Ms. Ashton and me every four weeks by (the Iranian month of) Khordad (May-June) and have working meetings between our experts on different issues which are on the agenda,” Zarif wrote on his Facebook page on February 19.

Iran and the G5+1 ended their third and last day of talks headed by Zarif and Ashton on February 20.

Iran and the G5+1 agreed to hold a new round of talks in Vienna on March 17-20.

Zarif ‘s talks with Ashton are focused on finding a lasting solution to the nuclear standoff between the two sides after hectic diplomatic efforts in Geneva in November resulted in an interim agreement.

But, Zarif also announced on the same day that Ashton would visit Iran before their first monthly meeting for a different purpose and in capacity of the EU foreign policy chief not as the head of the world powers' negotiating teams.