TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian along with other foreign ministry officials attended a meeting with the members of the Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee to brief them on the latest in Iran’s foreign policy developments.

Vahid Jalalzadeh, the chairman of the Committee, attended the meeting. Jalalzadeh and other members shared their views on some of the developments related to Iran’s foreign relations. 

In this meeting, the Minister of Foreign Affairs briefed the members of the Committee on some developments in foreign relations, including relations with Saudi Arabia, sanctions lifting negotiations, Iran's water share from Afghanistan, economic diplomacy, relations with Europe, and developments in Ukraine. 

Ali Bagheri Kani, the deputy foreign minister for political affairs, presented a report on the sanctions removal talks and the unfreezing of Iran’s funds, according to a statement by the Iranian foreign ministry.

At the end of this meeting, Amir Abdollahian, while appreciating the opinions of the chairman and members of the Committee, emphasized the interaction and cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Parliament. 

Iran serious about water rights

Abolfazl Amouei, the spokesman for the Committee, said the issue of Iran’s water rights was also discussed in the meeting. He said Hassan Kazemi Qomi, Iran’s presidential envoy for Afghanistan, presented a report on the discussions between Iran and Afghanistan about shared waters. 

“Kazemi Qomi explained the latest situation of bilateral issues in the relations between the Islamic Republic and Afghanistan, including the follow-up of the Helmand River water share. He said that we are serious in pursuing this matter and the Iranian delegation's visit to Deh Ravod was the implementation of a part of the treaty by the ruling body of Kabul,” Amouei quoted Qomi as saying in the meeting.

“Also, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and his colleagues explained the actions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to support Iranians abroad, holding the Arbaeen walking ceremony, as well as countermeasures of this ministry to deal with insulting the Holy Quran in European countries,” Amouei added, according to Mehr News. 

He continued, “Ali Bagheri Kani, the political deputy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, explained the release of Iranian prisoners in the United States and the release of Iran's blocked financial resources in South Korea and the pursuit of sanctions relief.”

He concluded, “The members of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee also emphasized the cooperation of the Parliament with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the approval of the ‘Bill for the Protection of Iranians Abroad’ and appreciated the actions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in securing national interests.”