EC Chairman: EU Should Not Be Influenced By US, Zionist Regime

Tehran, March 17, IRNA – Chairman of Iranˈs Expediency Council Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said the European Unionˈs attitude toward the world should not be influenced by the United States and the Zionist lobby. Rafsanjani made the remarks in a meeting with visiting Greek Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos on Sunday. Iran-Greece ties following the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979 have been quite good, Rafsanjani said, regretting the reduction of bilateral relations in the past few years. He said Greece and other EU states should not repeat previous mistakes under influence of others. The Expediency Council chairman said that reduction of ties between Iran and the West would damage both sides. ˈOur region as the worldˈs leading energy supplier should remain calmˈ and due to its geographical, historical and political status, Iran is the axis of security in the region, Ayatollah Rafsanjani said. He said that nuclear weapon is a means for massacre and genocide and based on Islamic and humanitarian teachings, Iran seeks to improve the standards of living. Meanwhile, the Greek foreign minister said that Greece is a western country located in Europe, but its top priority is to enhance economic and trade relations with Eastern countries. Venizelos said that Iran is an influential country in the region and the entire world and Greek wants to cement ties with Iran based on mutual interest. On the economic recession in Greece, he said that through certain plans ˈWe reduced unemployment rate and debts and Greeceˈs economic structure is now in line with European countries.ˈ He called an interim nuclear deal between Iran and the West as a milestone for restoration of security to the world. He called on Ayatollah Rafsanjani, as a well-known figure in the world to make efforts to help promote peace and strengthen ties between Iran and the West./end