Iranian FM Due in Italy Soon
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran's foreign minister is to visit Italy next week where he is to hold talks with his counterpart on a range of issues including bilateral ties, regional developments and Iran's peaceful nuclear program.
Mohammad Javad Zarif is scheduled to travel to Rome next week at the invitation of his Italian counterpart Emma Bonino.
The two ministers are expected to exchange views on expansion of bilateral relations between Iran and Italy, regional and international developments, Iran’s nuclear energy program and the crisis in Syria.
The Iranian foreign minister’s visit to Italy was previously slated to take place on November 7, when the second round of nuclear talks between Iran and the Group 5+1(the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany) was underway in the Swiss city of Geneva.
But his tight schedule at the talks prevented him from making that trip to Rome.
On the reason why Foreign Minister Zarif canceled his trip to Italy, his deputy Seyed Abbas Araqchi said earlier as the minister has a tight schedule he came to the conclusion that the trip had to be canceled so that he could have more detailed and precise discussions in Geneva.
Failing to agree on an an interim deal, Iran and the G5+1countries have agreed to resume talks on November 20, again in Geneva.
"I wanted to meet Zarif in Rome last Thursday, but the meeting was postponed. We are studying a program for direct cooperation with Iran which is not only on energy," the Italian foreign minister told Corriere della sera newspaper on Tuesday.
Bonino expressed hope that Iran and its negotiating partners could make a good deal in the forthcoming round of talks, which are slated to start on Wednesday.
On Iran's role in Syria, Benino said,"A few months ago, when I proposed that Iran should be invited to talks on Syria, some of my European colleagues blamed me. I frequently contacted with Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif in late August and asked him to convince Bashar Assad to let UN inspectors go to Syria."
Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta said in late June that Rome was eager to further expand its bilateral ties with Tehran during the tenure of President Rouhani, who won won Iran’s June 14 presidential election.
Also, Italian President Giorgio Napolitano has voiced Rome’s readiness to strengthen and develop cooperation with Iran in bilateral, regional and international issues.
In a meeting with Iran’s new Ambassador to Rome Jahanbakhsh Mozaffari in early July, the Italian president expressed hope that bilateral relations would further develop.
