TEHRAN — The new administration of Ebrahim Raisi in Iran is determined to expand cooperation with friendly countries such as Italy, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said in a telephone call on Monday night with Luigi Di Maio, the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

"The new administration of Iran is determined to develop its cooperation with friendly countries, including Italy, in an atmosphere of mutual respect and relying on the capacities and opportunities inherent in relations," Amir Abdollahian asserted. 

Amir Abdollahian also exchanged views about the state of bilateral relations, regional and international developments with his Italian counterpart.

The senior Iranian diplomat described the 160-year-old diplomatic relations between Iran and Italy as good support for the rising relations between the two countries in various political, economic and cultural dimensions.

"The new administration of Iran is pragmatic and result-oriented”

Amir Abdollahian expressed satisfaction over the rise of cooperation between the two countries, especially in the fields of industry, agriculture, medicine, science and technology, and the like, by considering the old ties. The Iranian Foreign Minister insisted on maintaining and strengthening the scope of cooperation.

The Iranian minister also pointed to the sending of vaccine by Italy in the form of COVAX to Iran as one of the significant points in the friendly cooperation between the two countries.

Referring to the forthcoming talks in Vienna intended to lift the illegal sanctions on Iran, Amir Abdollahian stressed that all parties have reached a common understanding that the United States is the chief culprit for the current situation surrounding the 2015 nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

Amir Abdollahian also said some parties to the JCPOA are also acting irresponsibly by being silent in the face of the U.S. excessive demands and thereby contributed to the emergence of the current unacceptable situation.

Iran and the remaining parties to the JCPOA – the three European countries of Germany, France and Britain (known as E3) Russia and China - plan to resume nuclear talks in Vienna on November 29 to lift sanctions on Iran. The United States will participate in the talks indirectly.  The talks are being resumed after a five-month lull due to the June election in which a new government came to power in Iran.

The high-ranking Iranian diplomat stressed: "The new administration of Iran is a pragmatic and result-oriented administration. We have shared our views with the negotiating parties and are ready to reach a good agreement. This requires a full return of the negotiating parties to their obligations."

Amir Abdollahian was referring to his phone talks with the foreign ministers of the E3 countries, Russia and China. His political deputy Ali Bagheri Kani also traveled to the E3 capitals prior to the November 29 talks. Bagheri also held virtual meetings with his counterparts from China and Russia.  

Regarding Afghanistan, Amir-Abdollahian also reiterated Iran's support for the formation of an inclusive government in this country, and attributed the illegitimate presence and catastrophic departure of the United States for the exacerbation of the crisis in the country and its negative impact on the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan and the influx of refugees, especially toward Iran.

"Iran is currently hosting about four million Afghans, so it is imperative that responsible international organizations fulfill their responsibilities to address the situation of those displaced," he said, noting, "Tehran is ready to use its facilities to transfer international aid, as well as from other countries, including Italy, to Afghanistan." 
The Iranian Foreign Minister also referred to the dire humanitarian situation in Yemen and called for increased diplomatic efforts to end the siege and war on Yemen.  

The Italian Foreign Minister, for his part, while emphasizing Rome's determination to expand bilateral relations, expressed satisfaction with the positive trend in the ongoing efforts for the forthcoming talks in Vienna, and expressed hope that this process would lead to favorable results and consequently lead to expansion of trade relations between Iran and Italy.

Italy’s chief diplomat also expressed his views on some bilateral and regional issues.

In the end, the two sides invited each other to meet in their capitals and stressed the need for continued consultations.