Vienna talks opportunity to respect for the ceasefire
Iranian foreign minister called Vienna talks on Syria as an opportunity to emphasize the need for full respect for the ceasefire and attention to the danger of terrorist groups threatening Syria, the entire region and the international community.
“We need to deal with such groups during Vienna talks and prevent terrorists to take advantage of the cessation of hostilities against the people of Syria,” Zarif said speaking to the reporters upon his arrival to Vienna on Monday to take part in an upcoming Vienna peace talks for Syria.
Javad Zarif once again noted Iran’s sole approach to resolve the crisis in Syria, saying “a military solution to the conflict in Syria is nothing but an illusion."
Responding to a question on the implementation of JCPOA, Zarif said those who claim the Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action (JCPOA) is producing no effects and the conditions for economic activists have been deteriorated, are unable to correctly perceive realities and the conditions of the country.
He underlined that figures and statistics demonstrate that given the declining oil prices, the recession has subsided and the economy is growing.
“Following the implementation of JCPOA, Iran's oil export has doubled in the past three months, which is a solid reason for the efficiency of JCPOA,” Zarif noted.
Pointing to the billions of dollars through foreign investment in Iran, Zarif said many projects have been agreed and we believe the United States has failed to provide enough opportunities to ensure the presence of foreign banks in Iran. “We will certainly pursue the issue,” he asserted.
Foreign Minister Zarif met with his Australian counterpart Julie Bishop, UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura and EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini in Vienna on Monday. The two sides discussed issues of mutual interest during the meeting.
They exchanged views on regional and international developments and the implementation of Iran’s nuclear deal.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab-African Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hossein Jaberi Ansari and Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Seyed Abbas Araghchi are accompanying Zarif during the visit to Vienna.
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