Tehran, New Destination For European Delegates By: Maryam Azish

Tehran, Jan 21, IRNA - Since the victory of President Hassan Rouhani in Iranˈs 11th presidential election in June 2013, Tehran has become a new destination for delegations from several European countries. The European countries that were competing to impose more sanctions on Iran are now racing to amend ties with Tehran. For sure the adoption of the resolution based on President Rouhani’s proposal for a World Against Violence and Extremism (WAVE) by the United Nations which calls on all nations across the globe to denounce violence and extremism would pave the way for launching a new era in Iranˈs relations with other countries, Europeans in particular. Italy should be considered as a forerunner in fostering cooperation with Iran. Italian Foreign Minister Emma Bonino was the first European foreign minister to visit Iran in the past eight years. Italy as a major European Union state seems to be interested in playing a pivotal role in Iran-EU relations. A British parliamentary delegation, headed by former foreign secretary Jack Straw, who last visited Iran in 2003, arrived in Tehran on Jan 7 — the first visit by UK lawmakers to Iran in years — as the two countries work to amend relations. Meanwhile, German lawmaker Andreas Schockenhoff, a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party, also met Iranian counterparts in Tehran. The British and German parliamentarians were the fourth group of visiting lawmakers from Europe since President Rouhani took office in August 2013. In related developments, Mexican and Romanian parliamentarians have recently visited Iran. South Korean delegation, led by the National Assembly Speaker Kang Chang-hee, is scheduled to pay an official visit to Tehran next Sunday (Jan 26). At present the Iranians are studying a request by Canadian MPs to visit Tehran. Now it seems that the European governments’ marathon for enhancing relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran will be continued in future./end