Afkham: Iran Opposes Ashton’s Undiplomatic Move

Tehran, March 11, IRNA – Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said on Tuesday that Iran has summoned Austrian ambassador to Tehran and conveyed its protest to the “non-diplomatic move” by the visiting chief of the EU foreign policy Catherine Ashton. Ignoring diplomatic norms, Ashton held some unofficial meetings in Tehran. The move was seriously criticized by Iranian authorities. “We have said that such arrangements would not help Iran-EU ties and will only deepen the distrust of the Iranian nation towards the West,” Marziyeh Afkham told reporters at her weekly press conference. She stressed that the move should “not be considered as the political carelessness or naivety of Iran’s diplomacy establishemnt or even its unawareness towards West’s anti-Iran approach.” Afkham said according to diplomatic norms, Austrian ambassador to Tehran was summoned to the Foreign Ministry and received Iran’s strong protest to the non-diplomatic move. The Austrian envoy, in return, expressed his regret over the arrangements, she added./end