Borrel stresses Iran to cooperate with IAEA to resolve nuclear programme issue

F.P. Report

BRUSSELS: High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell met in the margins of the General Assembly of the United Nations (UNGA) with Foreign Minister of Iran Hussein Amir-Abdollahian on Tuesday. They followed-up on their first phone conversation on 31 August.

The discussion focused on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The High Representative stressed the need for full cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to resolve outstanding issues and reiterated his concern about the overall trajectory of the Iranian nuclear programme. High Representative Borrell, as the Coordinator of the JCPOA Joint Commission, underlined once again the great importance of a quick resumption of the Vienna talks to bring the JCPOA back to full implementation. The Iranian Foreign Minister assured of the willingness to resume negotiations at an early date.

Finally, High Representative Borrell and Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian discussed EU-Iran bilateral cooperation, including on climate change, trade, security and migration and touched upon human rights issues.

As regards Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian referred to the high number of Afghan refugees in Iran. The High Representative underlined the EU’s willingness to engage actively with regional partners to address the challenges of the present situation. Both concurred on the interest to cooperate to avoid threats to regional stability. In addition to the regional approach, the already established bilateral dialogues, including on migration, will frame cooperation on different issues arising from the new situation in Afghanistan.