Iran Rejects Reports on Tehran-EU ‘Negotiation’ over Regional Issues

In response to reporters on Sunday, Qassemi underlined that Iran and the EU have been exchanging views at different times over different issues since a long time ago.

“The two sides have faced no obstacles at all in holding meetings, exchanging views and understanding each other’s stances towards different issues,” he added.

The spokesman referred to the recent Munich Security Conference, and said on the sidelines of the event, the Iranian delegation headed by Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Abbas Araqchi held meetings with deputy foreign ministers of some European states – Italy, France, the UK and Germany – on the dire humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

“Yemen has been the scene of a humanitarian catastrophe as well as a deadly siege, drought and chronic diseases because of a destructive war imposed on it,” he said, adding throughout its diplomatic contacts, the Islamic Republic of Iran has always sought to put an end to the war and violence, restore peace and pave the way for sending humanitarian aid to the plight-stricken nation of Yemen.

The spokesman said Iran hopes its political and diplomatic attempts would relive the countless sufferings and problems of the innocent and defenceless people of Yemen, put an end to the airstrikes on the impoverished nation and finally lead to a return to the political solutions already raised for the crisis in Yemen.

Qassemi rejected the reports published by some western media over the past days on Iran-EU negotiations on regional issues, saying the media have been begging the question in this case.

“Basically, in line with the wise and principled policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the two sides can hold meetings and exchange views on all bilateral, regional and international issues but these talks are not necessarily ‘negotiation’ in political or legal sense of the word.”

Qassemi said it goes without saying that holding talks between Iran and the EU is not new and strange at all. “But we don’t confirm any claim about the two sides’ agreement to hold negotiations on certain issues within a certain mechanism and frame.”

The spokesman also said over the past decades and on certain occasions, the Islamic Republic of Iran has held talks with many of the region’s states as well as its neighbours and others including European countries based on its principles of dignity, wisdom and expediency.

“The talks have been going on both in an era known as critical negotiations and the following era known as comprehensive and constructive talks. These talks can also continue on mutual and multi-lateral issues within the general principles of the Islamic Establishment. But they have fundamentally nothing to do, neither today nor in the future, with the negotiations which certain western media have portrayed in their false reports over the past days,” he concluded.