TEHRAN — Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian held a phone conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba on Thursday, exchanging views on international developments including the crisis between Kiev and Moscow.

Iran’s chief diplomat expressed satisfaction with the easing of tensions between Ukraine and Russia, expressing hope that the current situation would be resolved through diplomatic channels without intervention of third countries.

"We want to maintain peace and stability in the region," Amir Abdollahian emphasized.
He announced that Iran is ready to provide any necessary assistance and take any necessary action to resolve the crisis peacefully.

Foreign Minister Kuleba also thanked Iran for its principled stance on the Ukraine crisis. "We are not after a war and we want the issue to be resolved diplomatically and peacefully," the top Ukrainian diplomat said. 

During his opening remarks at the Munich Security Conference in Germany on Friday, UN Secretary General António Guterres said a Russian invasion of Ukraine would be “catastrophic”. He called for diplomatic efforts to continue.

“I am deeply concerned about heightened tensions and increased speculation about a military conflict in Europe. I still think it will not happen but, if it did, it would be catastrophic,” Guterres said, according to CNN.

“There is no alternative to diplomacy. All issues, including the most intractable, must be addressed through diplomatic frameworks. It is high time to seriously de-escalate,” he added.

The UN secretary general also noted that “geopolitical divides continue to grow,” and called for “serious dialogues to continue.”

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, in her first bilateral meeting at the MSC meeting, said Friday that the United States remains open to a diplomatic resolution between Ukraine and Russia.

Iranian, Ukrainian FMs discuss bilateral ties
 
Amir Abdollahian also thanked his Ukrainian counterpart for congratulating him on the occasion of National Day of the Islamic Republic of Iran and also the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Amir Abdollahian said the two countries have great potential for bilateral cooperation in cultural, economic and trade fields

The fact that a large number of Iranian students are studying in Ukraine shows the great capacity to develop bilateral cooperation, Iran’s foreign minister remarked.

Amir Abdollahian also stressed the determination of the new Iranian administration to expand relations with Ukraine in different fields.

In the telephone conversation, the Ukrainian foreign minister Kuleba also congratulated his Iranian counterpart again on the occasion of the 43rd anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution and the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Kuleba said Iran and Ukraine have always enjoyed good and stable relations and that no other party has so far been able to influence the good ties between the two sides.

He also referred to the growth of the volume of trade between Iran and Ukraine, expressing hope that this volume will increase more than before.