TEHRAN — Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian and his Irish counterpart Simon Coveney met on Wednesday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly to discuss bilateral relations and cooperation, the Iran nuclear deal, and the situation in Afghanistan.

During the meeting, the Irish foreign minister congratulated Abdollahian on his appointment as foreign minister and said it was a great pleasure for him to visit Iran as the first top Irish diplomat in the last 20 years. 

Coveney expressed hope that this trip would serve as a cornerstone to expand relations between the two countries. Coveney also said the final stages of reopening the Irish embassy in Tehran were underway.

The Irish Foreign Minister expressed his satisfaction with his country's readiness to play a facilitating role in the implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution 2231 during Trump's presidency in the U.S. He said Ireland is now ready to take any action necessary to revive and maintain the nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA. Referring to the two dimensions enshrined in the JCPOA, namely Iran’s nuclear program and the removal of anti-Iran sanctions, Coveney reiterated his country's commitment to these two dimensions and lamented Trump's actions that have led to the current situation.

The Iranian foreign minister also welcomed the imminent reopening of the Irish Embassy in Tehran, describing the growth of relations between the two countries as good, but stressed the need to expand ties.
 

SA/PA