Envoy: High-Ranking Swedish Officials to Visit Iran

Sweden’s Ambassador to Tehran Helena Sangeland announced that several high-ranking Swedish officials have plans to visit Iran to further expand ties between the two countries, AVA Diplomatic reports.

“The visit is on the agenda by a number of Swedish officials to the Islamic Republic of Iran to develop bilateral relations,” Sangeland said in a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in Tehran on Tuesday during which she submitted her credentials to Zarif.

During the meeting, the Iranian top diplomat voiced satisfaction in his recent visit to Sweden, and said, “After my visit, a large number of Swedish companies announced preparedness to develop economic cooperation with Iran.”

In relevant remarks in early June, Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom in a meeting with Zarif in Stockholm called for the expansion of relations between the two countries.

“There is a need for enhanced cooperation between Iran and Sweden under the present conditions,” Wallstrom said.

The Swedish foreign minister reiterated that after Tehran and the six world powers (the US, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany) signed nuclear agreement in July 2015, the time is ripe for Iran and Sweden to expand all-out relations.

During his visit to Stockholm, Zarif also held a meeting with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven during which the two sides discussed the latest developments and crises in the West Asian region.

Zarif and Lofven also underlined the necessity for settling the regional crises politically and sending humanitarian aid to the war-hit regions.

Elsewhere in the meeting, the Iranian top diplomat expressed the hope that the grounds would be paved for the Swedish prime minister’s visit to Iran soon, and stressed expansion of bilateral ties with Stockholm in political and economic fields.

Lofven, for his part, welcomed broadening of ties with Tehran, and announced that he is planning an official visit to Tehran.