Portugal, Iran Share Views on Many Issues: MP
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A top Portuguese lawmaker highlighted his country’s common views with Iran on many regional and international issues, saying the EU, unlike the US, approves of Iran’s approach to settling the regional crises politically.
Portugal’s stances on many regional and international issues are similar to those of Iran, Sergio Sousa Pinto, chairman of the Portuguese Parliament’s committee on foreign affairs and Portuguese communities, said at a meeting with Iran's Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani in Tehran on Sunday.
The European Union and the US do not necessarily have identical views on the Middle East issues, Pinto noted, saying the EU has regard for Iran’s viewpoints on political settlement of regional crises.
He further hailed Iran’s role in the fight against terrorism, saying Portugal’s parliament supports enhancement of interaction with Iran.
Larijani, for his part, called on the European Union to play a more active role in battling terrorism and resolving the crises in the Middle East.
He also reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to settling the regional conflicts, like those in Syria and Yemen, through dialogue and negotiations.
Iran helped Iraq and Syrian in the war on terrorism at the request of their governments because they could have faced the same fate as Libya, Larijani added.
The Iranian speaker also voiced Tehran’s willingness to strengthen parliamentary ties with Lisbon, stressing the need for stronger economic relations between the two nations.
