TEHRAN – President Masoud Pezeshkian has said Iran’s foreign policy is based on “peace and friendship”, avoiding “tension and clash” and “developing ties” with all countries.

“However, if our country under sanctions and pressure is forced to do something our approach will definitely will take another course,” Pezeshkian said in a telephone conversation with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere on Wednesday night.

Pezeshkian also said Iran is willing to develop ties with Norway and said “I hope that these conversations lead to the strengthening of ties between the two countries” and also help exploring “common solutions” for promoting “peace and security” in the world.

The president also pointed to the prominent role of Iran in establishing security, saying, “The Islamic Republic of Iran pushes for peace and security in the world, condemns any aggression in any part” of the world and is ready to cooperate to “stop war and violence” anywhere.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Pezeshkian complained European countries for not honoring their commitment to the 2015 nuclear deal, officially called the JCPOA, after the U.S. quit the agreement in 2018.

Though the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed in different reports that Iran was fully abiding by the terms of the nuclear agreement, the United States under Donald Trump abandoned the agreement and returned the sanctions against Iran.

Based on the agreement struck between Iran, the U.S, Russia, China, France, Britain, Germany and the European Union, the Islamic Republic agreed to put limits on its nuclear activities in exchange for termination of economic and financial sanctions. However, when the U.S. withdrew the agreement the Europeans also refused to cooperate with Iran.

 “Unfortunately, despite expectations, the Europeans also did not even fulfil even one clause of their commitments,” Pezeshkian lamented.

The Iranian president also criticized the United States and certain European countries for their double standard regarding human rights and democracy, saying while certain Western states accuse others of violating human rights if a person is “mistreated” they have been silent toward the Israeli brutalization of tens of thousands of innocent people, including women and children, in the Gaza Strip and even “giving financial and military support” to Israel.

The president also lauded the positon of Norway in backing the Palestinian people and called Prime Minister Stoere to make efforts through cooperation with other European countries to bring an immediate end to the “crimes of the Zionist regime against the oppressed people of Gaza”.

For his part, Stoere called relations between Norway and Iran “friendly, saying, “Norway has always considered itself a friend of Iran and wants progress and welfare for the Iranian people.”

Prime Minister also expressed his country’s worry about the rising tensions in the West Asia region, especially Israel’s relentless attacks on the people of Gaza.

 “We have condemned Israel’s war against Gaza and its catastrophic consequences,” he pointed out.

Stoere added Norway along with Ireland and Spain are among the first European countries that have recognized the rights of the Palestinian people for having an independent state, and Oslo hopes this “bitter and saddening events come to an end as soon as possible.”