FM calls for expanding Iran's ties with Finland, Serbia

The Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian held separate phone conversations with his Finish and Serbian counterparts during which he emphasized Iran's readiness for stepped-up relations with those two states.

News ID: ۸۳۷۷۶۹

21 April 2024

EghtesadOnline: Hossein Amir-Abdollahian held separate phone calls with Elina Maria Valtonen, the foreign minister of Finland and Ivica Dačić, first deputy prime minister of Serbia and minister of foreign affairs on Sunday.

During the phone call with his Finish counterpart, the Iranian foreign minister stressed that Iran does not seek tension in the region, stressing that, creating peace in the region requires adopting a proper approach and not adopting double standards and hypocritical approaches.

"Everyone should try to stop the war in Gaza immediately, and in line with that goal, some European governments should stop selling weapons to the aggressor and occupying Israeli regime, which is involved in the killing of Palestinian women and children, in order to help the stability and security of the region and stop the war in Gaza," Amir-Abdollahian noted.

Valtonen, for her part, asked all parties and actors to avoid any escalation of tension in the region.

Stressing the region's need for peace and tranquility, she pointed to concerns about the increase in the number of civilians killed in Gaza and the deplorable humanitarian situation in Gaza and stressed need to establish a ceasefire as soon as possible without any preconditions as one of Finland's main priorities.

The two sides reiterated their call for improving and expanding the relations between the two countries.

In the phone call with the Serbian counterpart, Amir-Abdollahian pointed to Iran's principled approach towards respect for the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of other countries, and emphasized the commitment and respect of the Islamic Republic of Iran towards the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia.

"The definite policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran is to support the consolidation of stability and security in the Balkans and to promote coexistence among all ethnic groups and followers of all religions in this region. Within that framework, we welcome the strengthening of relations with Serbia," the top Iranian diplomat further stressed.

Dačić, for his part, expressed his satisfaction with the communication and close interaction between the high-ranking officials of the two countries at different levels, and stated that the Republic of Serbia declares its full solidarity with the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The Serbian foreign minister touched upon adopting double standards and instrumental use of international bodies in line with the pressure policy of some Western governments against independent countries and emphasized the need for greater solidarity of independent governments in the face of such attempts and actions.

The foreign ministers of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Serbia emphasized the continuation of contacts with the aim of further developing and expanding bilateral relations, as well as the continuation of consultations on regional and international issues. / Mehr