Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi had a telephone conversation with European Council President Charles Michel to discuss developments surrounding the nuclear deal and the situation in Afghanistan.
The head of the Islamic Republic’s leadership expressed his desire to develop cooperation with EU countries in areas of mutual interest. He also stressed the need to build sustainable ties based on mutual understanding and respect and free from pressure from outside forces, such as the United States.
The two sides discussed in detail the nuances of negotiations in Vienna to return Tehran and Washington to the terms of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), whose seventh round has been indefinitely postponed due to a reshuffle in the government of the Islamic Republic. Michel urged Raisi to resume the dialogue in the near future, as European countries have repeatedly voiced their concerns amid the rapid development of Iran’s nuclear program.
The two sides noted that they share common interests on many regional and global issues, including the crisis in Afghanistan, which has fallen under full Taliban control since the August 15 takeover of the country’s capital and the suppression of resistance in the Panjsher Gorge a few days ago.
The conversation took place shortly after Raisi spoke by phone with French President Emmanuel Macron, who suggested a review of relations between Tehran and Paris, stressing a willingness to develop political, economic, and cultural ties between the two countries. The Iranian president, for his part, welcomed such prospects and noted that cooperation with France would be key to establishing ties with other European countries as well.
