Envoy Underlines Austria’s Willingness to Promote Ties with Iran

Austrian Ambassador to Tehran Friedrich Stift stressed the age-old relations between Tehran and Vienna, and called for the further development of bilateral ties, AVA Diplomatic reports.

Stift made the remarks in a meeting with Iranian Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Ali Jannati in Tehran on Monday.

He also voiced his country’s willingness to promote relations with Iran in music, literature and photography and dialogue between Islam and Christianity, as well as exchange of students and expansion of bilateral scientific relations.

Jannati, for his part, said exchange of cultural and arts works, language teaching and music plays an influential role in the expansion of mutual relations and acquaintance of the two nations with each other’s culture and civilization.

He said that exchange of visits by Iranian and Austrian officials and heads of state is a sign of their interest and willingness to expand bilateral relations and the history of relations between the two sides shows they have always been based on mutual respect.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has sought to expand bilateral economic cooperation with European countries.

On March 9, Rouhani said Iran and the EU have great interests, objectives and common ground for cooperation, expressing hope that the two sides would manage to “take new and serious steps” towards strengthening cooperation.

On March 19, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his Austrian counterpart Sebastian Kurz discussed the latest developments pertaining to bilateral relations between the two countries.

Vienna has hosted several rounds of talks between Iran and the Group 5+1 (the five permanent UN Security council members plus Germany) over Tehran’s nuclear standoff with the West.