Tehran, SAEDNEWS: Finland and the European Union should not be influenced by US pressure and unilateralism, Rayeesi said in a meeting with the Finnish ambassador to Tehran on Monday.
He underlined the need for Europe to adhere to its undertakings, and added, "We hope to see the expansion of Iran-Finland relations on the eve of the 90th anniversary of relations between the two countries and during your mission."
Submitting his credentials, the Finnish ambassador said that diplomatic relations between the two countries have always been good.
The new Finnish ambassador also described Iran as one of the key actors in the region.
"Finland has had good investments in Iran in the past and we want to return to that level of relations now," he said, expressing a desire to work with Iran to resolve regional issues, including Afghanistan.
Also, in a meeting with the newly-appointed Ambassador of Switzerland to Tehran, President Rayeesi said that Switzerland has always played a positive role in maintaining and promoting peace.
It is expected that in the new era, Switzerland will be able to maintain its independent role in the face of unilateral US policies, he added.
Swiss envoy, for his turn, submitted his credentials to President Rayeesi, saying that Iran is a country with an ancient and brilliant civilization.
Iran and Switzerland have had good relations in the political, cultural, economic and scientific fields for more than a hundred years, he added.
He also expressed the hope that the ground would be prepared for the activities of Swiss companies and economic activists in Iran.
Meantime, during his meeting with the new ambassador of Belgium, President Rayeesi said, "Iran is interested in expanding economic and trade cooperation with Belgium and Europe, but we must not allow foreigners to influence these relations."
He stated that the Islamic Republic of Iran has always adhered to its obligations, noting, "However, European countries have not fulfilled their obligations under the JCPOA."
The US seeks to develop and impose its oppressive will on the world, but other nations must not allow the US unilateralism to continue in different parts of the world, Rayeesi added.
The ambassador of Belgium, for his part, pointed to the friendly relations between the two countries and expressed hope that with the expansion of economic relations, the relations between Tehran and Brussels will be further strengthened.
In relevant remarks on Sunday, Rayeesi had lashed out at Washington and its European allies for defying their nuclear deal undertakings, and said that the West was not able to make an ultimate decision for saving the agreement.
"We are committed to what we promised, but the US and the Europeans are in a decision-making crisis," Rayeesi said, addressing a meeting of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei with guests of the 35th International Islamic Unity Conference held in Tehran.
He also referred to Iran’s talks with the world powers, and said, "We do not link the country's economy to negotiations and things like that."
"The country's foreign policy is to have broad engagement with the world, specially with its neighbors," Rayeesi said.
In 2018, the US left the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a historic nuclear accord that had been clinched between the Islamic Republic and world powers three years earlier.
So far this year, six rounds of negotiations have taken place in the Austrian capital to examine the prospect of the sanctions’ removal. The talks are expected to pick up where they left last time.
On Wednesday, Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Mohammad Eslami rapped Washington and the European states for their non-commitment and inaction towards the nuclear deal.
Eslami made the remarks in a meeting with Austria’s Ambassador to Tehran Wolf Dietrich Heim.
“It was only the Islamic Republic, which stayed unilaterally committed to its obligations for long,” Eslami said.
He also pointed to the western states’ attempts to rather paint Iran in a bad light by constantly blaming the Islamic Republic for a set of legal nuclear countermeasures that it has been taking in retaliation for their contractual violations.
“Today, the true defendant has assumed the stance of the claimant,” Eslami complained.
He advised that the rest of the JCPOA’s signatories try urging the US and the European parties to resume their obligations under the accord.
“Should all parties resume their commitments, Iran’s will for negotiation is serious,” the official added.
The Austrian envoy, for his part, expressed Vienna’s readiness to continue its contribution to the process of the negotiations (Source: Fars News).
Iranian President: US Deployment Never Leads to Security in Region
