Iran’s Zarif Holds Diplomatic Meetings in Kuwait
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif held talks with his Kuwaiti counterpart and with EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini on the sidelines of a conference in Kuwait on rebuilding Iraq.
Zarif, who arrived in Kuwait on Tuesday to attend the International Conference on the Reconstruction of Iraq, had a meeting with Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah al-Khalid al-Hamad al-Sabah in the evening.
Highlighting the significance of the ongoing conference, Zarif expressed the hope that Iraq could repair the huge damage caused by terrorism, through assistance from the neighboring countries and the international community.
The Kuwaiti minister, for his part, hailed Iran’s partnership in the conference, stressing that the regional tensions should be resolved diplomatically.
In a separate meeting afterwards, the top Iranian diplomat had talks with High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Maria Mogherini, who has joined the UN representatives in the conference.
In the gathering, the two diplomats discussed the ways to counter the US government’s measures that obstruct the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and to facilitate the implementation of the nuclear agreement between Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany).
Heading a diplomatic delegation, the Iranian foreign minister has travelled to Kuwait to join officials from more than 70 countries and international organizations for the conference on rebuilding Iraq.
Speaking to reporters upon his arrival in Kuwait, Zarif said Iran has remained a supporter of the Iraqi nation in the fight against Takfiri terrorism, and has fully honored its commitments after the previous conference on reconstruction of Iraq.
Authorities estimate that Iraq needs $88.2 billion to restore a country smashed after Daesh (ISIL) terrorists seized its second-largest city of Mosul and a mass of territory in June 2014.
Of the money needed, Iraqi officials estimate $17 billion alone needs to go toward rebuilding homes, the biggest single line item offered Monday on the first day of meetings. The United Nations estimates 40,000 homes need to be rebuilt in Mosul alone.
