EU ties expansion, JCPOA endurance, terrorism eradication Iran’s main policies: Rouhani

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says the Islamic Republic’s foreign policy is directed at the attachment of special importance to preserving the historic nuclear deal it signed with the P5+1 group of countries more than two years ago.

Rouhani made the remarks in a meeting with Denis O’Donovan, the chairperson of Irish Seanad Eireann (Senate), in Tehran on Tuesday in a reference to the nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

“Expanding relations with the European Union, [working toward] the endurance of the JCPOA and all sides’ commitment to their obligations and cooperating with the [International Atomic Energy] Agency (IAEA) as well as fighting against terrorism are the three important pillars of Iran’s foreign policy,” the president said.

He added that Iran is firmly determined to remain committed to its obligations under the JCPOA as the IAEA has released eight reports verifying the Islamic Republic’s commitment to the nuclear deal.

“As we have repeatedly announced, Iran will never be the initiator of the violation of the agreement,” Rouhani pointed out.

Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council – the United States, France, Britain, Russia and China – plus Germany signed the nuclear agreement on July 14, 2015 and started implementing it on January 16, 2016.

Under the JCPOA, Iran undertook to put limitations on its nuclear program in exchange for the removal of nuclear-related sanctions imposed against Tehran.

The IAEA has consistently verified Iran’s adherence to the terms of the JCPOA since the deal started being implemented.

Elsewhere in the meeting, Rouhani pointed to the settlement of many issues in the region and the weakening of terrorist groups in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon and urged unity and integrity to counter terrorism as a threat to all countries in the world.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran has given a positive response to the neighboring countries’ request for the fight against terrorism,” he said and expressed Tehran’s readiness to bolster cooperation with all countries, including Ireland, in the campaign.

Referring to Iran’s great potential in different sectors, including mine, petrochemistry and energy, the Iranian president welcomed investment of Irish economic activists in the country’s development projects.

“Iran can be a reliable source for supplying the European countries’ requirements in the energy sector,” Rouhani said.

He stressed the importance of improving Iran’s all-out cooperation with the European countries and added that Tehran welcomes the expansion of relationships with Dublin in political, cultural, economic and scientific areas.

JCPOA beneficial to international peace: O’Donovan

The Irish senator, for his part, said the JCPOA is beneficial to global peace and called for the deal to continue to stand.

European countries believe that no one would benefit from undermining the JCPOA, he added.

At an Atlantic Council panel discussion on September 25, the ambassadors from Britain, France, Germany and the European Union to the United States expressed their countries’ strong support for the JCPOA.

O’Donovan also expressed his country’s determination to improve cooperation with Iran to serve the two nations’ interest.

He said Ireland would remove obstacles in the way of enhanced banking cooperation with Iran in a bid to facilitate trade and economic relations.