Velayati:

Iran, Italy Opposed to Outsiders’ Interference in Regional Affairs

TEHRAN (defapress) – Ali Akbar Velayati, an international adviser to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, highlighted the common stances of Iran and Italy on global issues and said the two countries are strongly opposed to the interference of outsiders in the internal affairs of regional countries.

News ID: 76819

Date: 15 April 2019 - 10:45

Speaking to reporters in Tehran on Sunday evening after a meeting with Vito Rosario Petrocelli, the president of the Italian Senate's Foreign Affairs Committee, Velayati hailed Iran-Italy relations as “age-old” and said the Islamic Republic has always welcomed consultations and dialogue with the European country.

“Both countries believe that the peoples of West Asian and North African countries, like the rest of the world, should have the right of self-determination, so any decision taken by the peoples of Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon and Libya is respected by both countries,” Velayati said.

“Both sides also oppose meddling of foreigners in the internal affairs of the regional countries,” he said, adding that Tehran and Rome also believe that the UN charter should govern international policies.

The Italian senator, for his part, pointed to the cordial relations between the two countries and said his meeting with Velayati took place with the aim of boosting mutual cooperation between Iran and Italy.

In a recent interview with Tasnim, former prime minister of Italy Paolo Gentiloni highlighted his country’s “historical commitment” to broadening trade ties with Iran, stressing that Italy should adopt policies that are independent of the US.

EU countries led by France, Germany and Britain -signatories to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal- want to enable non-US trade with Iran to continue in defiance of Washington.

The EU has devised a payment mechanism to continue trade with Iran and neutralize the US sanctions against Tehran.

On May 8, US President Donald Trump pulled his country out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which was achieved in Vienna in 2015 after years of negotiations among Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany).

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