TEHRAN – The Iranian Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday that a Canadian political delegation is in Tehran for talks on bilateral relations.

Also in a phone conversation with his Canadian counterpart Chrystia Freeland on Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said it is necessary to provide the condition for Iranian residents in Canada to vote in the May 19 presidential elections.

“Iranian residents abroad are strongly willing to participate in determining their country’s future,” Zarif said.

Freeland said that the Canadian government is aware of the importance of presidential elections for the Iranian residents.

However, she said that some issues should be studied given the lack of political relations between the two countries.

Iran and Canada cut diplomatic relations in 2012. 

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who took office in 2015 has reportedly been reviewing relations with Iran and, like most countries, lifted most of its economic sanctions following the Iran nuclear agreement in July 2015.

Iran and the 5+1 group - the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia plus Germany - finalized the text of the deal - known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)- in Vienna in July 2015. The agreement went into effect in January 2016.

NA/PA