Deputy Foreign Minister for European and American Affairs Majid Takht-Ravanchi met the visiting Secretary General of the Austrian Ministry of European and International Affairs, Michael Linhart, on Sunday to discuss bilateral relations and regional developments, Fars news agency reported.
Pointing to "good" and "historical" relations between Tehran and Vienna, Takht-Ravanchi expressed the Islamic Republic's readiness to boost mutual ties in political, economic, commercial, parliamentary, scientific, cultural, and sport fields.
The senior diplomat explained the complicated conditions dominating the Middle East as well as regional crises and called for efforts to find a political solution to the conflict in Yemen, saying, "The Islamic Republic aims to help establish peace and stability in the region through (backing) peaceful dialogues."
Saudi Arabia has been conducting military strikes against Yemen since March 26 without a UN mandate and in a bid to restore power to fugitive president Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi. The United Nations says over 1,800 people have been killed and 7,330 injured due to the conflict in the impoverished Arab country.
Turning to the ongoing negotiations between Iran and the major powers on the dispute over Tehran's nuclear program, the foreign ministry official said, "We hope the other side will avoid unrealistic demands so that a final agreement is reached before the (June 30) deadline."
However, Takht-Ravanchi emphasized that the negotiations are not conducted "under a time constraint" and that Iran pursues reaching a deal which encompasses all its nuclear rights.
Iran and its international negotiating partners reached a mutual understanding on the key parameters of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA – the official name of the prospective nuclear pact) in the Swiss city of Lausanne on April 2.
The Austrian official, for his part, said he is optimistic that Iran will secure a final accord in the nuclear talks. Linhart also expressed Vienna's willingness to expand ties with Iran in all areas.
