Azernews.Az

By Gunay Hasanova

Iran and the EU will hold a new round of comprehensive talks in Brussels in December, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi said on October 24.

The talks will cover various topics, IRNA cited Qasemi as saying.

He further said that the Iranian delegation will participate in the negotiations at the level of deputy foreign minister.

Human rights related issues also will be discussed in the talks, however it will not be the only topic, Qasemi said, noting that Iran and the EU have a lot of topics to discuss.

The Islamic Republic and Europe have different viewpoints regarding the human rights issue, he said, adding that Tehran can hear their concerns on the issue and state its own view of human rights.

Difference of positions is historical as well as natural, while we have had a long history of diplomatic relations with the EU, and it will continue in the future, since Iran provides inherent capacities for trade for the EU, Qasemi said.

Earlier in June Iran's foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif announced the Islamic Republic’s readiness to launch human right talks with Europe, underlining that the will to talk should be mutual.

"As I already told Federica Mogherini [the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy] the human rights talks will be mutual and no doubt during that every party will hear unpleasant things," Zarif said while speaking in the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

"However we should seriously enter the talks," he added.

Relations between the EU and Iran have been through different stages and most recently, over the last decade, conditioned by the international dispute over Iran's nuclear program, and the consequent sanctions regime that was in place against Iran.

Having reached on 16 January 2016 "Implementation Day" of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on Iran's nuclear program (14 July 2015), the way is now opened for a renewal of broader relations.

The total trade between Iran and the EU in the first five months of 2015 amounted to 2.976 billion euros, showing a 6 percent increase compared to the same period in 2014.

The value of Iran-EU bilateral trade in the corresponding period last year stood at 2.81 billion Euros, according to the Eurostat data.

In addition, engaging directly with Iran - a key player in Syria - is for Europe one of the main benefits of the nuclear deal.

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Gunay Hasanova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @gunhasanova

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