Swiss FM Hails Fruitful Talks in Tehran
IRAN NEWS POLITICAL DESK
TEHRAN – Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis described his meeting with Iranian counterpart as ‘fruitful’.
In a Monday tweet, Cassis wrote, “Peace, economic development and human rights – fruitful discussion with my counterpart, @JZarif.”
“I’m glad we could establish together the Swiss Humanitarian Channel for the transfer of food and medical supplies to the people of Iran,” he added.
Heading a delegation, Ignazio Cassis met and held talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Monday morning and later with President Hassan Rouhani.
During meeting with Cassis, President Rouhani urged Europe to stand against the U.S. unilateralism and called for boosting bilateral ties with Switzerland.
The president called on Switzerland to enhance the effectiveness of a financial mechanism it has set up for trade with Iran, so that Tehran could release part of its assets abroad.
The Swiss embassy in Tehran handles U.S. interests in Iran, since ties were cut in the aftermath of the 1979 Islamic revolution.
“Peace, economic development and human rights – fruitful discussion with my counterpart,” Cassis wrote on Twitter following the talks.
Switzerland has also played a major role in prisoner swaps between Tehran and Washington.
The Swiss Foreign Minister arrived in Isfahan on Saturday morning to pay a three-day visit and meet with officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Cassis was marking 100 years of Swiss diplomatic presence in Tehran and 40 years of representing U.S. interests in the country.
On Sunday, Cassis visited the Swiss embassy foreign interests section, which has been representing U.S. interests in Iran for 40 years. Switzerland has been serving as an intermediary between the two countries since 1980 after the collapse of diplomatic relations between them.
The main aim of the visit is to strengthen relations between Iran and Switzerland, Cassis told Swiss public television, SRF.
“This serves to create trust for the bilateral path between Switzerland and Iran and for the protecting power mandate – as a mediator between the United States and Iran,” he declared.
On Sunday evening, Cassis opened an exhibition at the Negarestan Garden in Tehran on the history of Swiss-Iranian bilateral relations. The exhibition showcases 100 years of Swiss diplomatic presence in Iran.
