Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday that a statement issued by the E3 countries - Britain, Germany and France - is not constructive and useful.

“We regret the three European countries’ recent statement. Issuance of this unfounded statement in the current sensitive and complicated situation is not useful and constructive at all,” he said during a meeting with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the sidelines of the annual UN meeting in New York.

In a joint statement on Monday, the leaders of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom strongly condemned the September 14 attacks on oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, and pinned the blame on Tehran.

Rouhani also urged the United Kingdom to meet its commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal, officially known as the JCPOA.

For his part, Johnson said that London seeks to improve ties with Tehran.

Johnson also said his country attaches great importance to Iran’s role in the region.

Rouhani discusses ‘Hormuz Peace Endeavor’ with Spanish PM

In a separate meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Rouhani discussed Iran’s initiative for securing the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz called “Hormuz Peace Endeavor (HOPE)”. 

The top officials also exchanged views on expansion of relations between Tehran and Madrid.

Rouhani also held separate meetings with Swiss President Ueli Maurer and Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven.

Rouhani was to unveil the details of the peace initiative at his speech at the United Nations on Wednesday.

The initiative seeks cooperation among the regional countries for maintaining security in the Persian Gulf, including the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

The Strait of Hormuz is a major strategic waterway through which about one-fifth of global oil consumption passes on its way from Persian Gulf producers including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, the UAE and Kuwait as well as Iran.

Suspicious attacks on oil tankers in June and July in the Gulf of Oman caused anxiety among regional countries and the larger world.

NA/PA