TEHRAN – The European Union foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, met in Amman with Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi to discuss a range of issues including the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

“Meeting Omani Foreign Minister @badralbusaidi, I stressed the positive dynamics in our bilateral relations,” Borrell said on Twitter after the meeting.

He also said that the Iran nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was discussed in the meeting. “We also discussed developments in Iran and related to JCPOA, as well as other regional challenges,” Borrell said. 

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership, which was held on Tuesday in the Jordanian capital Amman. 

The Omani foreign ministry did not mention the issue of the JCPOA in the statement it put out regarding the meeting. The statement said the two sides discussed aspects of developing mechanisms of joint action and cooperation between the Sultanate of Oman and the European Union. It also said that Borrell and Albusaidi discussed strengthening economic relations.

Oman’s top diplomat welcomed the European Union's intention to open a diplomatic mission in Muscat during the next year 2023, in a way that enhances relations and cooperation between the two sides, according to the statement. 

“Views were also exchanged on a number of regional and international issues of common concern,” the Omani statement said. 

The JCPOA featured high in a meeting held between Borrell and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian. They discussed the latest regional and international developments as well as sanctions removal talks at a 2-hour meeting in the Jordanian capital.

On the sidelines of the Baghdad Conference 2 in Jordan’s capital Amman, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian held a meeting with the EU’s Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrel. At the meeting, the key issues on the agenda of Iran and the EU, especially the state of the Vienna talks, were discussed by the two top diplomats, the Iranian foreign ministry said.

Amir Abdollahian declared Iran’s readiness to sum up the Vienna talks based on the draft of the negotiation package that was the result of months of intensive and difficult talks. The Iranian foreign minister also advised the other sides to avoid politicizing the issue, adopt a realistic and constrictive approach and make the necessary decisions to announce a deal.

Amir Abdollahian also condemned the Western governments for their support of the rioters in Iran and for their imposition of illegal sanctions on the Islamic Republic of Iran on false excuses of defending the human rights of the Iranian people.

He said defending human rights is a basic principle of Iran’s Islamic Revolution. The Iranian foreign minister reminded the Western governments of their move to violate the human rights of the Iranian people, including by aiding and abetting the US in its imposition of illegal sanctions on Iran. He then said the Western governments are shedding crocodile’s tears for the Iranian people and described this as what cannot be bought. 

Amir Abdollahian then outlined Iran’s principled policy to support Ukraine’s territorial integrity and stressed the need for ending the Ukraine conflict and resolving the crisis there through peaceful means. He further declared Iran’s readiness to dispel any misunderstanding in direct contact with the Ukrainian side.

The EU foreign policy chief also explained the bloc’s policies toward Iran over the past few months. He said the Iran nuclear deal, JCPOA, and nuclear talks are separate issues from other ones on the agenda of the two sides.

Borrell reaffirmed the EU’s resolve to continue the Vienna negotiations until they produce results. Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri and the Vienna talks coordinator Enrique Mora were also in attendance at the meeting.