Iran, EU voice readiness to hold political talks on mutual concerns

Tehran, May 6 (IANS) Iran and the European Union (EU) have voiced their readiness to hold political talks over their differences and mutual concerns, according to a statement released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

In a phone call on Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas discussed the latest regional and international developments, as well as the progress of indirect nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington, said the statement.

Araghchi emphasised Iran's "responsible" approach of choosing diplomacy to resolve what he described as "fabricated concerns" about its "peaceful nuclear program," stressing that advancing the path requires the other side's serious determination and realism, reports Xinhua news agency.

He noted that if the US concern was solely about the likelihood of Iran acquiring nuclear weapons, reaching an agreement on that issue would be entirely feasible. However, he added, this would require avoiding "unreal and illogical" positions.

Araghchi pointed to the talks between Iran and the E3 group of Germany, France and Britain over the past months, expressing Iran's readiness to continue interactions with the European sides either within the framework of the EU or through the E3.

He also voiced Iran's readiness to have political talks with the EU on mutual security concerns.

Kallas, for her part, expressed the EU's readiness to hold political talks with Iran and welcomed the exchange of views on existing concerns with Tehran.

She expressed hope that the two sides deputies would discuss ways to start bilateral talks and prepare the ground to that end.

In September last year, Iran and the E3 initiated their talks on a number of issues, including Tehran's nuclear program and the removal of sanctions, on the sidelines of the annual session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Since then, they have held four additional rounds of talks, the most recent of which took place in Geneva in late March.

--IANS

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