Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif arrived in Rome on Wednesday following his earlier visit to Germany, and held talks with Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano, as well as President of the Chamber of Deputies Laura Boldrini.
The talks revolved around promoting Tehran-Rome ties and the latest regional developments especially as regards Syria.
During a meeting with his Italian counterpart, Angelino Alfano condemned the June 7 terrorist attacks in Tehran which killed 17 people and highlighted the need for more collective efforts for combating terrorism and extremism.
Alfano also voiced support for the Iran’s nuclear deal dubbed JCPOA, saying the accord brings about regional and global stability.
The senior Italian diplomat further commended Iran for its commitment to the nuclear deal, and stressed Italian businesses’ keen interest in enhancing economic ties with the Islamic Republic.
Zarif, for his part, maintained that Italy can use its capacity to help reduce tensions among the regional countries.
He also warned that any US attack on Syria under baseless pretexts would lead to bolstering and reinforcing ISIL in the region.
Zarif also sat down with Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni to confer on ways to expand and deepen bilateral relations, as well as the most important regional and international developments.
During his meeting with Parliament Speaker Laura Boldrini, the two sides highlighted the need for political talks as the only viable way to settle current conflicts in the region. The refugee crisis and combating terrorism and extremism were other topics of discussion between the two senior officials.
Zarif further extended an invitation to Ms. Boldrini for an official visit to Tehran and called on the Italian Parliament to adopt the double taxation avoidance agreement previously signed between the two governments.
The Iranian foreign minister will arrive in Paris on Thursday to discuss bilateral and regional issues with senior French officials.
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