TEHRAN – German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Saturday that the European countries are doing their best to de-escalate tensions between Iran and the United States.  

Addressing a meeting in Baghdad, Maas highlighted the importance of defusing tensions and inviting all parties to maintain peace and exercise self-restraint, IRNA reported.

He warned that miscalculations, misunderstandings and provocative acts will lead to unpredictable ramifications.

Escalation of tensions over the past few weeks has made European countries to take action in order to clear up misunderstandings and defuse tensions, he stated.

He went on to say that the Iran nuclear deal is worth attempting to be preserved.

Maas was scheduled to hold meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi and President Barham Salih to find ways out of the current critical conditions.

According to Germany’s Foreign Ministry, Maas and his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif, are slated to hold a meeting in Tehran on Monday. 

Maas’s visit is an indication of the decision made by Berlin, Paris and London for preserving the nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Earlier, in an interview with IRNA, Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said, “The German foreign minister will meet with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif and President Hassan Rouhani, during his one-day tour to Iran.”

The spokesman also said that bilateral relations between Iran and Germany, regional and international developments and the nuclear agreement, are among the topics to be discussed during his trip to Iran.

MH/PA