EU, Iran stand for establishing new relations
By Sara Rajabova
European Union's foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton says the EU is willing to establish active relations with Iran.
Ashton started a three-day visit to Iran on March 8, ahead of the high-level nuclear talks between Iran and the six countries.
This is the first visit by a senior EU leader to Iran since 2008.
She held several meetings with Iran's former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili, top advisor of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Akbar Velayati, Secretary of Iran Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani, Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani, as well as some human right activists, Iranian media reported.
Ashton also met with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. In the meeting, Rouhani said his government is willing to establish new relations with the EU.
The Iranian president went on to note that Ashton's visit to Tehran, as the representative of 28 European countries, has a very important political meaning.
Rouhani said beside the nuclear talks, there are several other areas that the two sides can discuss. Tehran and the EU can boost their ties especially in the energy and transit sectors, he said.
Ashton, for her part, said this is the first time that she is negotiating with Iranian officials about some issues other than Iran's nuclear program.
Ashton also held discussions with Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif.
Zarif praised his latest discussions with Ashton, saying that he held "constructive" talks with the EU foreign policy chief over Iran's relations with the 28-nation European Union as well as the country's ongoing nuclear negotiations with the P5+1 group - Russia, China, France, Britain, the U.S. and Germany.
Ashton represents the P5+1 group in the nuclear talks with Iran over its nuclear energy program.
Ashton's spokesman Michael Mann said Ashton is to consider potentials for future cooperation, but mutual ties depend on progress in Iran's nuclear dossier.
Mann, in an interview with a western radio, said Ashton's visit to Tehran was different and she discussed issues of mutual interest in addition to the nuclear program.
He added Ashton wanted to underline that the international community should work hard to find a solution for problems in the Middle East.
He noted that expansion of relations depends on progress in nuclear talks, adding that the two sides had a great deal of progress in this concern, but a lot of work is left.
Mann stressed that Ashton wanted to see a number of Iranian senior officials, who had never seen them before.
She found out that achieving an agreement on the nuclear issue is supported domestically and this issue is very positive, Mann concluded.
Ashton also paid a visit to Iran's historical city of Isfahan. She told journalists at the airport that the object of her day trip to Isfahan was to visit the city's historical monuments.