TEHRAN — Speaking on Monday during a meeting with Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney, Iranian President Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi referred to the two countries' cooperation capacities in various fields, including energy, science and technology, industry and agriculture.

Raisi said that the volume of relations and trade between the two countries can be higher than the current level, adding Tehran is determined to enhance relations with friendly and independent countries.

Referring to Ireland's approach toward global political and economic relations, the president said, “We welcome Ireland's independence from the United States and some European countries.”

Elsewhere in his remarks, Raisi said protecting the interests of nations and mutual respect form the cornerstone of his administration’s foreign policy.

He added what Iran is insisting on in the current negotiations with major powers in Vienna is that the rights of the Iranian people, including a lifting of sanctions, must be respected.

For his part, the Irish foreign minister stressed that his country attaches special importance to the development of relations with Iran.

“We believe that we are at a strategic level in our relations with Iran, and we seek to develop and improve the level of multilateral relations, and in this regard, we are determined to reopen our embassy in Tehran,” he added. 

The chief Irish diplomat also said the Iranian people’s disappointment with the 2015 nuclear deal -JCPOA- is quite “understandable” as the U.S. violated the agreement.

The Trump administration unilaterally quit the nuclear agreement in 2018 and reinstated sanctions and imposed new ones under different labels under the “maximum pressure” campaign against Tehran. 

Foreign Minister Coveney said that Ireland believes that in the current talks in Vienna the necessary guarantees should be given to Iran so that the agreement can be restored.