TEHRAN – President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday that Iran is ready to expand relations with European Union member states, especially Belgium.

Rouhani made the remarks during a meeting in Tehran with President of Belgium’s Senate Christine Defraigne.

“Iran and Belgium have many capacities to boost cooperation which should be used in the post-JCPOA opportunity,” Rouhani said in reference to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, commonly called the nuclear deal.

Iran welcomes investment by Belgian private and public sector, the president said, adding there is no impediment to expansion of Iran-Belgium economic ties.

The JCPOA, signed in July 2015, went into effect on January 16.

Rouhani also said the nuclear agreement proved that “the complicated international problems” can be resolved through “dialogue” and “negotiation”.

The nuclear agreement should be considered as a “role model” to solve problems in the world, he noted.

Elsewhere, he said that terrorism is a “serious international challenge”.

The president said terrorism is rooted in economic and cultural problems. “One of the roots of terrorism is disappointment and the fact that some experience discrimination and do not see the existing regulations efficient enough to resolve their problems.”

He said military invasion is not the way to fight terrorism.

Rouhani also said that terrorists should not be divided into “good” and “bad” and called for serious efforts to cut financial support for terrorists.

For her part, Defraigne called for a new chapter in Iran-Belgium ties.

Defraigne also praised Iran’s position in fighting terrorism and said that Belgium is ready to enjoy Iran’s experience in this respect.

Belgium has a special status in the EU. Brussels, the Belgian capital, hosts the official seats of the European Commission, Council of the European Union, and European Council, as well as a seat of the European Parliament.

-----Zarif: 5+1 must ‘precisely’ meet commitments in lifting sanctions on Iran

In a separate meeting with Defraigne on Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that Iran has fulfilled its commitments under the JCPOA and the 5+1 group must also meet its obligations “precisely”.

Under the nuclear deal between Iran and the 5+1 group - the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia plus Germany – Iran must allow more intensive nuclear inspections and freeze some of its nuclear activities and instead all nuclear related sanctions against the country be terminated.

However, some banks are hesitant to resume banking transactions with Iran, fearing a punishment by the United States.

Marietje Schaake, the vice president of the European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with the United States, has said, “Europe is being taken hostage by American policy.” He also has said, “We negotiated the nuclear deal together, but now the U.S. is obstructing its execution.”

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has also said, “They [the United States] write on paper that banks can cooperate with Iran, but in practice they promote Iranophobia so that no one trades with Iran. American officials say that sanctions are still in place so that foreign investors get scared and do not come.”

---Economic and banking transactions

Zarif also said that presence of Belgian parliamentary delegation in Tehran can play an “important” role in expanding ties.

The foreign minister called for in an increase in ties especially in economic and banking transactions.

Commenting on developments in the Middle East, he said that “political solution” is the only way out of the regional crises.

The Belgian official said that Iran has always played an important role in helping establish peace and stability in the region.

NA/PA