TEHRAN - European Union is totally committed to honor the implementation of the Iran nuclear deal, European Agriculture and Rural Development Commissioner has said.

In a joint-press conference on Saturday in Tehran, Phil Hogan reassured that the European Union not only has remained committed to execution of the Iran deal but to the “”future partnership and cooperation in the economic and agricultural spheres” with Iran.

Commissioner Hogan, who was in Iran on behalf of European food and drink products, added that following the JCPOA (the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action), EU is in a position to “resume trading negotiations [with Iran].”

Accompanied by a delegation of 42 European food and drink companies from 19 member states, Commissioner Hogan explained that his mission as the head of the delegation is “to do and open business and talk food trade” with post-sanctions Iran. 

“The aim of the visit is to enhance cooperation between the EU and Iran in the field of agriculture and rural development, in particular with a view to further developing bilateral trade in agri-food products between the EU and Iran.”

Looking back at years of trade with Iran positively, the EU commissioner said, “We have concluded the discussion of the nuclear deal after 12 years, and now we want to see how we can normalize business and trading relationships with Iran the same we had 20 years ago.”

He further noted that the EU also encourages the U.S. Congress to stick with the deal too, reassuring that “this is the best way forward”.

Hogan described his meetings with Iranian officials including Iran’s Minister of Agriculture Hojjati and Iran’s ministry of health “fruitful.”

On that, he said the EU is interested in importing Iran’s pistachios, saffron, ostrich products, and trouts and in exchange Iran expressed interest in importing meat products like beef, dairy products like skim milk powder, and cheese from the EU.

To speed up the process of import, Hogan said, the EU will remove “non-trade tariff barriers” on those items from Iran. 

Commissioner Hogan recommended that in agriculture the two sides “harmonize rules, food standards, food traceability system” in the interest of consumers and “reduce barriers and length of time” for business purposes.

Hogan concluded by expressing his gratitude to Bulgarian Ambassador to Tehran Christo Polendakov for his “ambassadorial mission”, “support” and helping hand with the business delegation.

France signed a memorandum of understanding on seeds with Iran on Saturday during the EU commissioner’s visit to Tehran.