President: Nuclear Issue Can Be Settled Through Dialog

New York, Sept 25, IRNA – President Hassan Rouhani in a meeting with President of European Council (EC) Herman Van Rompuy on Wednesday, stressed that nuclear issue can be settled only through negotiations. The meeting was held on the sideline of the UN General Assembly meeting.The European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton also attended the meeting. During the meeting, President Rouhani said that there is no other lasting solution, except mutual understanding, to Iran's nuclear issue and added that his government has used all its potentials for holding logical talks. Rouhani reiterated that nuclear agreement is a base for new confidence building measures, adding that the Iranian nation has always fulfilled its commitments regarding the signed agreements. Expressing his concern over the regional instability, he said terrorism is threatening the Middle East region. He named violence as another challenge facing the entire region. He regretted that there are European citizens among ISIS terrorists, stressing that whenever they return home they would pose threats to their own countries' peace and security. Lauding Iran's key role in establishment of stability in the region, he said Tehran has made great efforts to restore peace and tranquility to the whole region particularly Iraq. EC president, for his part, said the nuclear issue should be resolved promptly and added that during the past one year the two sides have witnessed positive developments. He added that achieving comprehensive agreement would open a new chapter in relations between Iran, Europe and the international community. President Rouhani, who is in New York to attend the 69th meeting of the UN General Assembly, held meetings with a number of heads of state as well as the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon./end