TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian had a busy day on Thursday. He met and spoke by phone with many foreign officials including the foreign ministers of Qatar, Russia, the United Arab Emirates.

In addition, he received many congratulatory messages and calls from foreign counterparts on becoming the foreign minister of Iran. 

United Nations Secretary General António Guterres has congratulated Abdollahian on his appointment as the Islamic Republic’s top diplomat.

In a telephone call, Guterres described the Islamic Republic of Iran as a very influential country among the members of the United Nations and said he expects close cooperation with the Iranian president and foreign minister, according to the Iranian foreign ministry. 

The UN chief appreciated the efforts of Iran in generously hosting Afghan refugees, stressing his commitment to supporting Iran's efforts in hosting refugees.

Guterres called the UN a supporter of agreements and dialogue as a mainstay, and stressed the need for the resumption of the nuclear talks in Vienna.

He also stressed the United Nations' commitment to safeguarding the rights of Palestinians.

In this telephone conversation, Abdollahian emphasized Iran’s readiness to cooperate with the UN secretary general to find a political solution to the current situation in Afghanistan in line with talks held during the meeting of the foreign ministers of Afghanistan’s six neighbors.

He said the UN would be a key part of efforts to find a solution to the Afghanistan crisis. Abdollahian expressed serious concern regarding the new influx of migrants from Afghanistan and stressed the need for assistance from relevant organizations at the United Nations.

On the Vienna talks, the Iranian foreign minister said the Iranian government is conducting the necessary studies on the matter, and emphasized Tehran’s commitment to dialogue and negotiation as a tool of diplomacy.

Abdollahian added, “Unfortunately, the US made a miscalculation by maintaining their illegal sanctions on Iran and they mistakenly think they can use the sanctions as a bargaining chip.”

Abdollahian added, “The negotiating parties should come to Vienna with a realistic understanding and pay serious attention to the rights and interests of the Iranian people, and Iran believes negotiations will be acceptable if they lead to a tangible result.”

He also voiced concern over terrorist activities in Afghanistan and the wider region, saying the use of terrorism by some powers as a tool is the main obstacle to peace and stability in the region, which is regrettable.

Iran’s foreign minister and the Secretary General of the United Nations stressed the need for a fully inclusive government in Afghanistan with the participation of all Afghan ethnic groups. They said war and violence should not rule Afghanistan.

Abdollahian also spoke of Iran’s pursuit of the cowardly assassination of Iran’s top anti-terror icon General Qassem Soleimani. He said Iran is following the case at international and legal levels with seriousness and the US will not be able to dodge its responsibility for the assassination of this “great hero of the fight against terrorism.”

Referring to the actions of the Israeli regime, Iran’s foreign minister said, “The Zionist regime continues to openly commit crimes in the occupied territories, and the international community and the United Nations have a definite duty to uphold the Palestinian cause and the rights of defenseless Palestinian women and children.”

South Korea’s Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong has in message congratulated Abdollahian on winning the vote of confidence of the Iranian Parliament and taking office. In the message, Chung expressed hope that Amir Abdollahian's tenure as foreign minister will strengthen cooperation between the two countries, which has continued since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1962.

Russia, Iran FMs discuss Afghanistan, JCPOA and mutual issues
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held a telephone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Abdollahian on Thursday.

Abdollahian and Lavrov discussed regional developments and initiatives related to Afghanistan, as well as the Iran nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, JCPOA.

Other issues Abdollahian and Lavrov discussed were meetings between the officials of the two countries on the sidelines of the Shanghai Summit, the need to strengthen cooperation to contain Covid-19, the problems of traders and businessmen for visiting Russia.

As for Covid-19, Abdollahian emphasized that Iran expects Russia to stick to previous agreements on supplying Iran with more sputnik vaccines.

He also thanked Russia for its efforts to resolve the problems related to the return of Iranian students studying in Russia.

Iran’s Foreign Minister also raised the problems Iranian traders and economic activists face for traveling to Russia. The Russian foreign minister said he would follow up on the issue as soon as possible.

The foreign ministers of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Russian Federation also discussed regional developments and initiatives related to Afghanistan and stressed the need to form an inclusive government in the country that would represent all ethnic and political groups.

The Iranian and Russian foreign ministers also exchanged views on the JCPOA and the Vienna talks with Lavrov saying Moscow, like Iran, does not accept any change in the nuclear deal and demands full implementation of the agreement.

Dutch FM invites Abdollahian to the Netherlands
Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Sigrid Kaag has congratulated Iran’s top diplomat Abdullahian on his appointment to the post and on the commencement of his job as Iran’s new foreign minister. Kaag was talking with Abdollahian over the phone. She invited the Iranian foreign minister to visit the Netherlands.

In this telephone conversation, the Dutch Foreign Minister praised Iran for hosting millions of displaced Afghans for decades and also hailed the Islamic Republic’s humanitarian actions in this regard.

The foreign ministers of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Netherlands agreed on consultations between the political deputies of the two Ministries of Foreign Affairs and the review of bilateral relations. They also agreed on the subsequent visit of the Dutch foreign minister to Iran in the future.

During the phone call, Abdollahian and his Dutch counterpart discussed bilateral relations and ways to expand them. The two sides also exchanged views on the issues of Yemen and Afghanistan, regional developments, and the Vienna talks, with Abdollahian outlining the Islamic republic’s stance.

Abdollahian discusses regional developments with UAE counterpart
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Arab Emirates has phoned Abdollahian to congratulate him on his appointment as the Islamic Republic’s new top diplomat.

He referred to his friendship with Amir Abdollahian and their previous meetings, stressing the good and neighborly relations between the two countries. 

Iran’s foreign minister thanked his Emirati counterpart’s phone call and his congratulation and emphasized the strong and stable relationship between Iran and the UAE. 

He also discussed the latest regional developments with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed and underlined the significance of consultations between Tehran and Abu Dhabi over bilateral as well as regional and international issues. 

Abdollahian also spoke of his recent meeting with the UAE’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashed, and described as important, the support of the two countries’ leaders for expanding bilateral relations.

Also on Thursday, the Iranian foreign minister received Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani. Abdollahian met with his Qatari counterpart in Tehran.

During the meeting, the Qatari foreign minister greeted the Iranian president and government on behalf of the high-ranking Qatari officials and wished them success. The two top diplomats discussed regional issues. Abdollahian outlined Iran's view on the need to strengthen dialogue in the approach to the region.

Then, he and Al Thani discussed important bilateral issues. Improving trade relations between the two countries, speeding up the issuance of trade visas and facilitating the movement of traders and the private sector, holding a joint commission for cooperation between the two countries in the near future and cooperation between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Qatar in the 2022 FIFA World Cup were among topics discussed at the meeting.

Regarding the developments in Afghanistan, Abdollahian stressed that the United States is responsible for the suffering of the Afghan people and that the current situation can only be resolved through the establishment of an inclusive government with the participation of all Afghan groups.

The meeting between the Iranian and Qatari foreign ministers came amid a transition period taking place in Afghanistan. The Taliban have announced a caretaker government that fell short of meeting the demands of the international community in respecting the rights of all Afghan groups.