Brussels, 29/07/2015 (Agence Europe) - During the first visit to Tehran by an EU High Representative for Foreign Policy, Federica Mogherini said on Tuesday 28 July that the agreement on the Iranian nuclear programme had “the potential to open a new chapter” for Iran and its people, between Iran and the international community, between Iran and the EU and, finally, in the region.
“Europe and Iran used to have very strong ties, not only culturally, geographically but also economically, on trade”, said Mogherini in a press conference with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, during which she wore a veil. She said that the gradual lifting of sanctions, hand-in-hand with implementation of the nuclear programme agreement, would see European investment once again flowing into Iran. She hoped that the EU and Iran would work together on bilateral, regional and international issues.
Mogherini said the agreement could lead to opening a “different framework from the region”. “This is probably going to be one of the most difficult chapters to be opened, but I believe that it is going to be one of the most relevant ones”, she stated, envisaging a future based on “cooperation rather than confrontation”. She said that Iran could count on the EU to do its part to support a different regional framework, “based on hopefully the building of trust”. The Sunni monarchies of the Gulf accuse Shi'ite Iran of interfering in the conflicts in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and Bahrain.
Mogherini also stressed that now the agreement had to be implemented on time and in full. “We want this deal to be historical not only in the signing of it, but also in the implementation of it”, she stated, indicating that she had come to Iran to “start the concrete work on the implementation of the deal”.
During a visit to Tehran, 27 MEPs on the informal Friends of Iran group called on the EU High Representative, on 27 July, publicly to condemn human rights violations in Iran and to call for an end to public executions. During her press conference, Mogherini made no mention of these issues. (Camille-Cerise Gessant)