President Hassan Rouhani and his French counterpart Francois Hollande emphasized the necessity of drawing up a roadmap for expansion of political, economic and cultural ties between Tehran and Paris.
The two presidents made the appeal in a telephone conversation on Thursday, in which the two sides conferred on conditions for implementing the Iran nuclear accord and stepping up bilateral cooperation in the new context created by the conclusion of the settlement, IRNA reported.
Referring to the enormous potential of the two countries for enhancing cooperation in various fields, Rouhani lamented the fact that the two countries have lost many opportunities to deepen relations over the past decade, noting that "now is the time to compensate for the past."
The president said the commitment of all parties to nuclear negotiations to fulfilling their obligations is important for successful implementation of the deal, asking the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany) to do their best to facilitate the implementation of the accord.
Describing the situation in the Middle East as dangerous, Rouhani referred to the destructive activities of terrorist groups and said, "Iran seeks cooperation with European countries, including France, to help counter terrorist groups in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen."
Rouhani underlined the need for establishment of peace and stability in the region, expressing Iran's readiness to cooperate with other countries to this aim.
He referred to the dire situation facing the Yemeni people, describing the airstrikes conducted by the Saudi-led coalition against the Yemenis as "unacceptable".
Saudi Arabia has been conducting military strikes against Yemen since March 26 without a UN mandate, leaving at least 1,693 civilians dead and 3,829 others injured until July 21, according to UN statistics. Local figures are even higher.
Rouhani expressed hope that authorities in France and the European Union would condemn the massacre of the Yemeni people.
The French president appreciated Rouhani's efforts during nuclear talks with world powers. He referred to the scheduled trip of French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius to Iran next week with a view to jointly devising a roadmap for expansion of bilateral ties.
Emphasizing the need for all-out efforts to put the nuclear accord into effect, he called for enhanced cooperation with Iran in such fields as energy, oil and air transportation.
Hollande also said political solutions should be worked out to help end the crises in Yemen and Syria, expressing Paris' readiness to work with Iran in the fight against terrorism.
