Zarif, Mogherini talks end with no mention of opening EU office in Tehran

EghtesadOnline: Talks between the Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and the visiting European Union (EU) Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini ended here Saturday with no mention of opening the office of the European body in Tehran, an informed source said.

News ID: ۷۷۰۷۷۸

30 October 2016

According to IRNA, certain media started voicing opposition to the hours-long visit of the European official to Tehran citing that the trip takes place to open the European Union office in Tehran.

The media opposed this presumed decision from the outset of the trip.

They highlighted the remarks by the Iranian Judiciary Advisor for International Affairs Mohammad Javad Larijani last week who had described such an office as “a den of corruption”.

However, Mogherini had stressed that her Tehran visit aimed at discussing the Syrian issue with Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

The reports coming out of the meetings too proved that talks concentrated on solely the regional developments and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

All this proves that during the meetings, none of parties mentioned the opening of the EU office in Iran.

Mogherini arrived here Friday night to discuss major regional issues, Syria in particular, with senior Iranian officials.

She met with President Rouhani and Zarif on Saturday morning at top of her agenda.

The EU foreign policy chief visited Tehran hours after the Iranian, Russian and Syrian foreign ministers held a tripartite meeting in Moscow on Friday and exchanged views on the latest developments in the Arab war-stricken country.

After Tehran, Mogherini will fly to Riyadh to talk with the Saudi officials.