Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is in Turkey at the head of a delegation to take part in the Antalya Diplomacy Forum which is scheduled on June 18-20.
He is set to give a speech about the Islamic Republic’s neighborhood doctrine and the country’s policies in this regard, ISNA reported.
He will also meet with a number of high-raking officials from the participating countries on the sidelines of the event besides attending a trilateral meeting with the Turkish and Afghan foreign ministers.
Ahead of the forum’s opening on Friday, Zarif met European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.
He presented a review of the latest status of the ongoing talks in Vienna, Austria, on reviving the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
The diplomat also reiterated Iran’s position on the need for the United States’ complete removal of its sanctions as well as the impossibility of renegotiation about the deal.
Washington pulled out of the JCPOA and reimposed sanctions on Tehran, which scaled down its commitments in response. The Vienna talks are aimed at bringing both sides back into full compliance.
Zarif highlighted Iran’s bitter experience of the US unfaithfulness, but hoped the current negotiations will be fruitful.
The two delegations later discussed issues in the Middle East, Latin America and Afghanistan.
Zarif pointed to the disputes between the Afghan government and other political parties as the main obstacle in the way of fighting insecurity in this country.
The foreign minister also held talks with his Venezuelan counterpart on a range issues of common interest.
He pointed to the US illegal measures to hinder the full implementation the JCPOA and gave a briefing about the Vienna talks.
For his part, Jorge Arreaza voiced grievances about the US sanctions against Caracas which impeded the import of Covid-19 vaccines and thanked Iran for its help on hard days.
The two also conferred on the developments in Iraq, Afghanistan and Latin American countries.
Regional Security
Earlier on Thursday, Zarif had held discussions with Iraqi Prime Minister Fuad Hussein, in which he hailed bilateral cooperation on the planned Shalamcheh-Basra railway and expressed Iran’s readiness to expand economic ties.
He also stressed the need for cooperation between neighboring countries to ensure regional security and welcomed the start of regional negotiations in this regard.
The Iraqi top diplomat described Tehran-Baghdad’s economic cooperation as “constructive” and thanked the Islamic Republic for its assistance in the development of Iraq.
Zarif later met the head of Afghanistan’s High Council for National Reconciliation Abdullah Abdullah.
The two sides discussed the latest developments of the peace process in Afghanistan.
Expressing concern about the security issues in the war-ravaged country, Zarif underlined the importance of intra-Afghan dialogue.
Abadullah appreciated Iran’s constructive efforts and briefed Zarif about the current situation in his country.
Antalya Diplomacy Forum is a high-level gathering of professionals that deal with diplomacy such as political leaders, diplomats, opinion makers or academics.
The event started on Friday afternoon with an introductory speech by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.
This year’s forum will explore the horizons of diplomacy across a range of key regional, global and thematic issues under the theme of “Innovative Diplomacy: New Era, New Approaches”.
It is expected to host 10 heads of state and government, 42 foreign ministers, three former heads of state and government, and nearly 52 representatives of international organizations or former government officials.
The ADF will continue with more than 15 panel discussions which will address a variety of issues including global governance, transatlantic relations, fake news, migrants, women, extremism, and terrorism.
In addition to these, the forum will host special guests, roundtable meetings, and activities including interviews.
