TEHRAN – Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif reiterated Tehran’s position on Saturday that Iran is willing to deepen ties with the European Union countries.

During a meeting with Hungarian Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjen in Tehran, Zarif also welcomed expansion of relations with Hungary in various spheres.

He called for boosting banking cooperation.

Semjen described the relations as “very good” and “growing”.

Iranian Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani held a separate meeting with Semjen on Saturday. Larijani said the two countries should put a boost in economic cooperation on agenda.

The Majlis speaker also pushed for expansion of banking ties. He also said that Iran prioritizes cooperation with Hungary in the area of environment protection.

Semjen said that Hungary seeks to expand relations with Iran, adding there is no impediment to increase cooperation in the post-nuclear deal era.

Iran and the 5+1 group - the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia plus Germany - finalized the text of the nuclear deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, in Vienna in July 2015. The agreement went into effect in January 2016.

NA/PA