President Hassan Rouhani said he expects European nations to present a package of measures aimed at salvaging the 2015 nuclear deal that has been imperiled by the US decision to withdraw.
“European nations are to present in the coming days their package of proposals to help preserve the nuclear deal,” Rouhani told reporters at Tehran's Mehrabad airport before leaving for Switzerland, his official website reported.
Rouhani said his government will continue consultations with European powers over regional issues including the situation in Syria and Yemen, the two war-ravaged Arab countries.
"We have held talks with Europe about the role Iran can play regarding stability and security in the sensitive Middle East region. We will continue the negotiations," he said.
The president's trip to Europe comes amid continued uncertainty over the future of the 2015 nuclear agreement between Tehran and six world powers.
He is scheduled to visit Austria on the second leg of his trip, which takes place after President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the landmark nuclear agreement and said will reinstate economic sanctions against Tehran.
The other parties to the agreement—Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany—say they remain committed to the agreement so long as Iran honors it.
Different Situation
"Today, Europe's situation is rather different than it was in the past," Rouhani said, adding, "Europe is now speaking against unilateralism with a louder voice and is expressing its readiness to cooperate more closely with Iran and other important and influential countries on regional and international matters."
"These issues include Syria and Yemen and the suffering that has been inflicted on people in these countries," the president said.
United Stance
He added that talks with European powers are of significance because they, along with other parties to the nuclear accord, are united in their stance on the historic accord and believe that its survival is in the interest of the world.
Rouhani's European trip is of "prime importance" as it can "provide a clearer picture of cooperation between Iran and Europe," Foreign Ministry spokesman, Bahram Ghassemi, said in comments carried by the semi-official ISNA news agency.
Bilateral Ties
He said Tehran is keen on building long-standing relations with Bern and Vienna in all areas, adding that the prospects for further cooperation will be discussed during talks with Swiss and Austrian leaders.
"We will hold talks with senior officials from both countries on bilateral ties in the fields of industry, trade, healthcare, medical treatment, technology, education and water resources management, and several documents will be signed."
Declarations of Intent
The Swiss government has said a range of issues, including the Iran nuclear agreement and the situation in the Near and Middle East, will be discussed.
A declaration of intent regarding healthcare and science is also expected to be signed, said a spokesperson for Swiss President Alain Berset, SWI swissinfo.ch reported on Monday.
After the reception in Zurich, official talks between the two presidents will take place in the capital Bern on Tuesday.
Official Talks
Switzerland will be represented by Berset as well as Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga and Economics Minister Johann Schneider-Ammann.
Schneider-Ammann had invited Rouhani to visit Switzerland during his official visit to Tehran in 2016, when he was president. The president is accompanied by Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.
"Discussions will focus on the latest developments regarding the Iran nuclear agreement…The aim is to find ways of preserving the progress made as a result of the agreement and of ensuring the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons in the region despite the decision of the USA to withdraw," the Swiss government said in a statement issued on June 18.
Iran is an important partner for Switzerland both politically and economically, it added. The two countries adopted a road map to intensify bilateral relations in February 2016.
Switzerland represents US interests in Iran owing to the absence of diplomatic relations between Washington and Tehran.
Visit to Austria
Rouhani will confer with his Austrian counterpart, Alexander Van der Bellen, and Chancellor Sebastian Kurz in Vienna on Wednesday.
Vienna, where the deal was signed, is also the home of the United Nations' nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, which monitors Iran's compliance with the accord.
Austria took over the European Union's six-month rotating presidency on Sunday, according to AFP.
