A senior advisor to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution says the ground is prepared for expansion of relations with France as the two nations share a sense of optimism over the recent nuclear deal between Iran and major powers.
Ali Akbar Velayati, head of the Center for Strategic Research of the Expediency Council, made the remark in a meeting with former French senator Jean-Pierre Chevenement in Tehran on Saturday, IRNA reported.
Commenting on the July 14 nuclear accord, Velayati said, “The accord is expected to open new vistas for restoration of relations with the West.”
“The Iranians have a good attitude toward the French hospitality as they hosted Imam Khomeini, the late founder of the Islamic Republic,” the official said, stressing that such an approach will never be forgotten and expressing confidence that top-level official meetings will bear fruit in the near future.
“I have had many meetings with former French diplomats, so I am familiar with their stances; furthermore, there is a good record of political interaction with France.”
Referring to regional conflicts, Velayati noted that Iran and France, exploiting their potential to lead international efforts, could play a key role not only in helping defuse the crises in Syria and Iraq but also restoring peace to the wider Middle East.
Highlighting the fact that both states share the same approach when it comes to addressing a majority of regional and international political disputes, he stated, “Iran and France believe that there is no military solution to the conflicts in Yemen, Iraq and Syria; moreover, such countries’ national sovereignty should be preserved.”
According to Chevenement, the nuclear deal between Iran and the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany) could pave the way for improved bilateral relations.
Appreciating the Iranian negotiating team as well as other officials who played a key role in clinching the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (the official title of the accord), the former French lawmaker stressed that the European country’s political independence is not overshadowed by US policies. On France’s overtures to Arab states, he assured that close ties between Paris and Arabs are not against Iran’s interests. Chevenement believes that the French nation will never approve of war anywhere in the world, including the Middle East, as it is to nobody’s benefit.
