The establishment of a European Union office in Tehran could help facilitate and strengthen relations between Iran and European countries, a former Iranian diplomat said.
"Given the expansion of ties between Iran and the European Union, and Tehran's need to boost its international relations, the establishment of an EU office could be a positive step toward strengthening Iran's relations with members of the union, particularly in the fields of economy and trade," Fereydoun Majlesi also told ISNA in an interview published on Tuesday.
On Monday, Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, chairman of Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, and Morteza Saffari Natanzi, a senior member of the commission, said European ambassadors have renewed calls for opening an EU office in the Iranian capital.
The request was made during a recent parliamentary meeting with ambassadors of European nations in Tehran, including the Austrian envoy whose country holds the EU's rotating presidency, according to the lawmakers.
European ambassadors had in the past proposed the establishment of such an office to help streamline interactions between Iran and EU member states.
> Important Bloc
Majlesi, who is also an international affairs expert, said the EU is one of the most important blocs in the world and plays an influential role in both political and economic spheres.
"Iran has had longstanding relations with European countries," he said, adding that the Islamic Republic must not limit its foreign relations to a certain group of countries as such a policy could eventually undermine its independence.
"Just as we have extensive interaction with countries such as China, Russia and India, we should have similar relations with Europe because it will help create an appropriate balance in Iran's foreign policy."
Majlesi noted that if an EU office is established in Tehran, the EU's trade and transactions with Iran will be facilitated and both sides' needs in different fields of economy will be better identified and fulfilled.
Such an office will not have a "political" nature and would be more concerned with the "technical and trade" aspects of Iran-EU relations, he added.
> Opponents of the Move
Majlesi further said those who are opposed to the move should clearly state their reasons instead of creating a commotion about it.
"Instead of only chanting slogans, they should, for example, say what threats an EU office in Iran could pose to the country," he said.
Renewed calls for opening an EU office in Tehran come, as the Europeans have stepped up their drive to compensate Iran for US sanctions to persuade it to remain in the 2015 multinational nuclear deal, which US President Donald Trump pulled out of in May.
The EU recently proposed that a Special Purpose Vehicle be set up to facilitate trade with Iran and circumvent US sanctions against the country's oil exports with the aim of salvaging the landmark nuclear agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
