Brussels, 16/01/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 15 January, the European External Action Service (EEAS) stated that High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini and Iran's Minister for Foreign Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif agreed that time must not be wasted for an agreement on Iran's nuclear programme. “Negotiations have to be brought to a conclusion in line with the agreed time”, Mogherini stated in a press release. “We affirmed our strong commitment to a diplomatic solution which would fully address international concerns about the exclusively peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear issue”, she added. The negotiations on the Iranian nuclear programme run until 30 June 2015.
In Berlin, Germany's Minister for Foreign Affairs Frank-Walter Steinmeier said he believed that the negotiations were a decisive phase. “We are very likely both of the opinion that the negotiations are now in a decisive phase”, he said at the end of a meeting with Zarif. “We must now use this new time period effectively. We must put everything into finding a solution, which we have not been able to reach over recent years”, he said.
The political leaders of the E3+3 (Germany, France, United Kingdom and China, United States, Russia) and Iran will meet again, in Geneva, on Sunday 18 January in order to continue the negotiations (see EUROPE 11225).
Discussion on regional situation. Mogherini and Zarif also addressed human rights and the regional situation as regards Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and the threat of Islamic State (IS). Mogherini stated that “the relationship between Iran and other countries in the region is crucial for regional stability. “The security situation in the region has created an urgent need for regional powers to consult and cooperate, defuse sectarian tensions and address the root causes of the rise of IS and the crises in Syria and Iraq”, she added. She encouraged Iran to use its “considerable” influence to help create a more inclusive and stable Iraq, and also to contribute to a political solution to the Syrian crisis by supporting United Nations Special Envoy for the Syria crisis Staffan de Mistura. (CG)