Iran FM to Meet Ashton, UN Praises Tehran - Al Manar TV Website Archive

Iran Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and European Union (EU) Foreign Policy Chief Catherin Ashton are scheduled to meet on the sidelines of the 68th annual session of the UN General Assembly in New York

“I will meet with Ms. Ashton and the foreign ministers of Greece, the Netherlands, Australia, Italy, Britain, Switzerland, Japan, Turkey, Oman, Slovakia, Croatia, Georgia and Bulgaria on Monday,” Zarif said on Friday.

Zarif, who is in New York to attend the UN General Assembly session, added that he is scheduled to sit down for talks with around a dozen foreign ministers a day while in the US.

The top diplomat expressed hope that his bilateral meetings would lead to achievements for the Iranian nation.

Ban Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had commended the efforts of the new Government in Iran in promoting dialogue with the international community, and its recent release of a dozen political prisoners, as he met with the country’s Foreign Minister.

Speaking to reporters at UN Headquarters, Ban recalled that he had raised this issue during his visit to Iran last year and had urged the Government to release these prisoners. “I am glad that they have finally taken action,” he said, as he reported on his meeting with Zarif.

“I told the Minister that I am pleased that the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran is now taking some concrete steps to fulfill the promises made by President [Hasan] Rouhani during his recent election campaign.

The Secretary-General is scheduled to meet Sheikh Rouhani next week “to discuss matters of mutual concern” on the sidelines of the annual General Assembly.

Ban and Zarif also discussed Iran’s growing cooperation with the international community on a host of issues, including the nuclear file, as well the role Iran could play in promoting a political solution to the conflict in Syria.