Alwaght- Iranian president Hassan Rouhani left Tehran on Monday for Switzerland and then Austria where he is expected to discuss the fate of a nuclear agreement from which US President Donald Trump withdrew in May.
Rouhani is to discuss boosting Tehran's ties with Europe which has been scrambling to save the nuclear deal, officially known as Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) but struggled to provide Iran with concrete guarantees to benefit from staying in the nuclear deal.
Speaking at the airport, Dr. Hassan Rouhani said, "The visit to the two European friend countries, Austria and Switzerland, is taking place at the official invitation of the presidents of these two countries in response to their visit to Tehran".
“Now that the Americans have exited the JCPOA in breach of international rules and their multi-lateral commitments, communication and negotiation with Europe enjoys a special position,” Rouhani told reporters in Tehran before heading to Switzerland.
From Switzerland, the Iranian president will travel to Austria where he will meet President Alexander Van der Bellen and Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and oversee the signing of some documents for cooperation.
A key subject on the agenda, however, is a package which the Europeans are expected to offer to Iran in order to keep the country in the JCPOA.
Dr. Rouhani said, "Europeans are also set to present their package in the coming days, and we will discuss the matter with them. There are, of course, some regional issues that we will discuss with Europe on the role that Iran can play for stability and security of the entire Middle East region".
The United States withdrew from the agreement in May, and said it would be re-imposing the sanctions lifted by the agreement. Washington has also threatened countries retaining trade with Iran with “secondary sanctions.”
A number of Iranian economic activists and representatives of the private sector are accompanying President Rouhani in the visit.
Dr. Rouhani said, "We also have both businesspeople and representatives of the economic sectors of Iran with us during the visit to both countries, and we will have meetings with businesspeople and entrepreneurs in both capitals, Vienna and Bern, and will meet with dear Iranians in these two countries".
The president also referred to the signing of documents between Iran, Austria and Switzerland during the visit, adding, "We will discuss the matter with senior officials in the field of industry commerce, health, treatment, modern technologies, education and water resources management, and documents will be signed in this regard"
Rouhani underscored the importance of Iran's ties with the European Union, which views the nuclear agreement as pivotal to regional and international peace and security.
“Europe’s current situation is to some extent different from the past. Europe is opposing unilateralism with a louder voice, and expressing readiness to cooperate with Iran and other important and influential countries on regional and international issues,” he said.
Rouhani called the trip an opportunity to discuss the future of the JCPOA and bilateral agreements with EU members, especially given that Austria has just assumed rotating presidency of the European Union.
“We will be negotiating with Austria as the president of the EU,” he said.
Rouhani will also discuss other issues, including the conflicts in Syria and Yemen.
"Among these issues are Syria, Yemen, and the oppressions that have been affecting the people of these countries. The whole world is responsible for the crimes against the Yemeni people," added the President.
Iran will also sign documents for cooperation in the industrial, commercial, healthcare, education, and water resources management fields with Switzerland and Austria, he added.
