Iran’s President Wraps Up UN Trip with Host of Meetings


Iran’s President Wraps Up UN Trip with Host of Meetings

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani held a series of meetings with world leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York before heading back to Iran on Thursday.

Rouhani had arrived in New York on Sunday to attend the 73rd UNGA meeting. Besides delivering a speech to the assembly, he held several meetings with his foreign counterparts and heads of major international organizations.

On the last day of his stay in New York on Wednesday, he held talks with President of Switzerland Alain Berset on a range of issues.

The Iranian president welcomed Europe’s decision to set up a payment system to allow oil companies and businesses to continue trading with Iran under US sanctions, calling for more serious efforts to implement that financial mechanism.

He also reiterated that Iran would keep honoring its commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) should the remaining parties make up for the US withdrawal from the nuclear agreement.

For his part, Berset praised Iran’s full compliance with the JCPOA, saying it is a duty to support Iran’s rights in the wake of US pullout from the nuclear accord.

He also emphasized the necessity for an effectual financial framework for continued trade with Iran.

In another meeting at the United Nations, Rouhani discussed political and economic issues with Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe.

Praising the friendly and traditional relations between Iran and Japan, Rouhani said Tehran is open to Japanese investment in its energy projects and development of Iran’s southeastern port of Chabahar.

Abe also highlighted Iran’s constructive role in regional stability, saying Tokyo will keep cooperation with Tehran in various fields.

The Japanese leader also reaffirmed his country’s support for the Iran nuclear deal.

Elsewhere in the busy UN headquarters, the president sat with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte.

In the get-together, Rouhani described Italy as Iran’s top European trade partner, urging efforts to carry out the previous agreements and boost economic interaction between Tehran and Rome.

He also denounced the US dual policy towards Iran, saying Americans threaten Iran, but on the other hand offer negotiations. “Negotiations in such circumstances do not make sense.”

As regards the new wave of US sanctions on the Islamic Republic, Rouhani said Iranians have already dealt with harsher sanctions and will keep countering the US’ illegal and inhuman sanctions.

Conte, for his part, hailed the close economic and cultural relations between Iran and Italy, giving an assurance that his country would not allow the ties with Iran to be harmed despite the troubles the US has created for the nuclear deal.

Another highlight of the Iranian president’s tight schedule was a meeting with United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

In the gathering, Rouhani urged the UN to do its duty to strengthen the international law in such a way that no country could arbitrarily violate international regulations and UN Security Council resolutions.

He also voiced Iran’s readiness to work with the UN on regional and international issues and in settlement of conflicts in Syria and Yemen.

Calling on the UN to take a more active role in delivering humanitarian aid to war-torn people of Yemen, Rouhani said Iran, Russia and Turkey have taken steps for establishing peace and stability in Syria and have prevented an outbreak of conflict and killing in the province of Idlib.

For his part, Guterres stressed the need for full implementation of the JCPOA, which he said is endorsed by the UN and the Security Council, adding that the sanctions against Iran are out of step with the UN decisions.

The Secretary General also assured Iran that the UN encourages Europe and the other partners to stand against the sanctions on Iran.

In a separate meeting, Rouhani and his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro talked about ways to counter the US hostile policies.

Urging closer interaction among independent states to deal with the excessive demands of enemies, Rouhani voiced Iran’s willingness to boost ties with Latin American nations, including Venezuela.

Maduro, for his part, called for enhanced ties with Iran, saying the two states should promote cooperation in international circles like the UN and OPEC.

The Iranian president left New York for Tehran early Thursday.

 

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