Italian Envoy Hopes Talks with EU Create Opportunity

Italian Ambassador to Tehran Luca Giansanti said that negotiations between Iran and the EU would create an opportunity for both sides to become aware of their position and enhance mutual understanding, AVA Diplomatic reports.He made the remarks in his meeting with Iran’s Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani, where the speaker pointed to the historical and cultural commonalties between the Iranian and Italian nations, stating that the expansion of bilateral parliamentary cooperation would be positive in formal relations between Tehran and Rome.

He expressed hope that the EU would play a positive role in restoring stability and tranquility in the region.

Larijani criticized certain European countries for pursuing the policies of world powers in the Middle East, saying bullying countries are playing a destructive role in regional developments.

He has dismissed as unproductive the US-engineered economic sanctions imposed against Tehran, saying they have been detrimental to European firms.

“The decision to impose economic sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran has led to the loss of many economic and trade opportunities for European companies, “Larijani said in a meeting with.

Early in 2012, the US and the European Union (EU) imposed illegal sanctions on Iran’s oil and financial sectors in a bid to prevent other countries from purchasing Iranian oil and conducting transactions with the Central Bank of Iran.

The illegal US-engineered sanctions were imposed based on the unfounded accusation that Iran is pursuing non-civilian objectives in its nuclear energy program.

Iran has categorically rejected the allegation, noting that as a committed member of the International Atomic Energy Agency and a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty it is entitled to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.