Brussels, 07/03/2014 (Agence Europe) - As we announced (see EUROPE 11031), High Representative of the EU Catherine Ashton will be in Tehran (Iran) on 8, 9 and 10 March. According to the Iranian deputy minister for foreign affairs, Abbas Araghchi, Ashton will arrive in Tehran on the evening of 8 March and is to meet President Hassan Rohani and the foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif. "Catherine Ashton will be in Tehran on Sunday (9 March) for a series of high-level meetings and will hold a joint press conference with Mohammad Javad Zarif (…). This is a bilateral visit focusing on a range of issues of interest to both sides", was all that Ashton's spokesperson was able to say about the visit. Ashton will then travel to Ispahan on 10 March before returning, according to reports by the Iranian media, but which were not confirmed by the spokesperson.
Ashton is to discuss relations between the EU and Iran, including the question of human rights, regional issues and the plan to establish an EU mission in Iran, according to a Western diplomat posted to Iran, quoted by French news agency AFP. The issue of the Iranian nuclear dossier will also be discussed, as Ashton is the negotiator-in-chief on this matter.
This will be the first visit at this level since Javier Solana's visit in June 2008. (CG)