Brussels, 14/03/2016 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 14 March, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini called on Iran to fulfil its international obligations. The country has moved ahead with ballistic missile tests.
“We hope Iran will comply with all its international obligations”, Mogherini stated during a press conference at the end of the Foreign Affairs Council. She added that the missile tests were not a violation of the joint action plan on the Iranian nuclear programme and that if these tests ran counter to United Nations Resolutions 2231 (as the USA believes) it would be important to discuss this within the appropriate bodies of the UN. “We all see it as a major problematic element concerning regional relations (…) This increases the tension in a region which does not need it”, she nevertheless stated.
While the USA has taken out sanctions against Iran due to its ballistic missile programme, Mogherini stated that this possibility had not been raised by the EU ministers. “This can still be raised by the member states, but it wasn't the case today”, she said.
Mogherini said that several ministers had underlined their concern, however, with regard to these tests. This was particularly the case for British foreign minister, Philip Hammond. “We have to be clear that Iran continues to carry out unacceptable behaviour” like “missile testing” or showing “aggressive behaviour in sponsorship of terrorism around the Gulf”. Europeans “shouldn't in any way pull punches about that kind of behaviour”, Hammond said on arriving at the EU Foreign Affairs Council.
Elsewhere, Mogherini announced that she would visit Iran with a delegation of European commissioners on 16 April. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)