Iran stresses broadening of ties with Europe

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani underlined that Iran lays emphasis on the expansion of ties with European countries. “There is a suitable ground for the expansion of all-out relations between Iran and European countries,” President Rouhani said in a meeting with President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday. Barroso, for his part, stressed that both the European Commission and the European Union “are keen to enhance ties with Iran”, and said, “Iran could make a good partner for Europe.” The European Commission president also underlined Iran’s significant role in the Middle East. On January 20, Iran and the six powers started the implementation of the historic nuclear deal which the two sides struck in the Swiss city of Geneva on November 24, 2013. On the same day, the European Union agreed to suspend part of its sanctions against Iran as part of a ground-breaking nuclear deal under which Tehran has scaled back its nuclear work. After endorsing the agreement with the world powers, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif underlined that the six world powers have recognized Iran’s enrichment program. As part of the deal, in exchange for Iran’s confidence-building bid to limit certain aspects of its nuclear activities, the six world powers agreed to lift some of the existing sanctions against Tehran.