EU claims on Iran human rights ‘irrelevant’

TEHRAN, Nov. 15 (MNA) – Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Iran welcomes negotiations with the EU to bring positions closer in many different issues. Mr. Bahram Ghasemi told reporters on Monday evening that Iran and the EU had engaged in hectic negotiations in the second round of such constructive talks. He also emphasized on commitment of all sides to JCPOA, which he welcomed as stated by the EU during talks; “the second round of talks with the EU is an outcome of the bilateral resolve to settle diverse issues including human rights, where the EU’s October report raised unfounded allegations against Iran’s human rights conditions,” he added. “Talks are focused on energy, peaceful nuclear technology, transportation, research and education; there has been considerable progress in talks, however ample grounds also exist where Iran and the EU would work to improve ties,” he detailed. “Removing of banking restrictions is key to improvement of economic and trade ties; EU officially supports Iran’s accession to the World Trade Organization, where Iran has demanded concrete action by the EU.” “Iran and the EU should sit and listen to both sides’ explanations of the nature of EU’s secular human rights and Iran’s Islamic human rights in efforts to bring both positions closer,” he concluded. Last October, Ghasemi had condemned the EU’s so-called human rights allegations; “any attempts to impose values of certain country or region on communities with quite different lifestyle and traditions is a regression to an old paradigm of international relations; the EU should develop more exact understanding of Iran’s judiciary system to avoid unconventional remarks,” he had said the press.