Iran slams EU Council ‘political show’ on human rights

December 14, 2022 - 22:4

TEHRAN- In the wake of riots in Iran, the Council of the European Union took anti-Iran actions, which Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian has condemned.

Amir Abdollahian criticized "some political acts" that the council had staged in an effort to purportedly advance the cause of human rights.

The senior diplomat made the comments over the phone to Simon Coveney, his Irish counterpart late on Tuesday.  

Since an Iranian woman named Mahsa Amini tragically lost her life while in police custody in September, the European Council has levied a number of penalties against Iranian individuals and organizations.

Along with the draconian sanctions moves, the European Council members have lambasted Iran's response to the riots following Amini's death. 

Iran has responded to the hostile actions and meddling comments with sanctions against people and institutions in Europe.

Separately, the chief Iranian diplomat spoke about efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear agreement, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The accord was terminated by the U.S. in 2018, and the harsh sanctions it had eased were reinstated.

The foreign minister reaffirmed that Iran remains open to reaching a "decent, sustainable, and robust deal". However, he said, Iran "will not violate its redlines, which consist of meeting the interests of the Iranian people."

The condition of the two countries' relations as well as regional and global concerns were also discussed by Amir Abdollahian and Coveney.

Coveney also spoke about his previous trip to Tehran and the perspectives of his country on the most crucial issues relating to Iran, the region, and the larger world.

“Solid foundation for fruitful contacts between Iran and Belgium”

Also, in a phone conversation with his Belgian counterpart Hadja Lahbib late on Tuesday, Amir Abdollahian stated that the historical ties between Iran and Belgium provide a firm foundation for fruitful bilateral discussions and contacts.

Amir Abdollahian and Lahbib concentrated on the most crucial matters of shared interest as well as bilateral and global issues.

The previous history of the two countries' ties, in the opinion of the Iranian foreign minister, established a solid foundation for future relationship.

On the basis of respect for one another and to advance the interests of both countries, he also encouraged developing bilateral ties on a range of political, economic, and cultural spheres.

Referring to the background of bilateral ties and Iran's role in the region, the Belgian foreign minister said, “Our contacts and information about the realities in Iran play an important role in establishing a clear comprehension about the developments.”

The two foreign ministers also addressed consular issues.

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