European Foreign Policy Chief to Visit Tehran on April 17

Federica Mogherini, the head of foreign policy for the European Union, will travel to Tehran on April 17 of the next Persian year. According to AFP, Mogherini announced this on Monday, March 14, before the EU foreign ministers' meeting, stating: "In this meeting, discussions will be held on areas where full relations with Iran can be revived." She added that "regional issues including Syria and Yemen, as well as other matters such as resuming relations and developing bilateral cooperation with Iran, will be among the topics discussed at the EU foreign ministers' meeting." On the other hand, the EU foreign policy chief did not mention Iran's missile tests in her remarks. Previously, France had announced that this topic would also be discussed at the EU foreign ministers' meeting. Earlier, Majid Takht-Ravanchi, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, stated that the EU representative for foreign policy would visit Tehran early next year. He also mentioned that European commissioners would be traveling to Iran. Mogherini had announced on February 6 that she was preparing for an "important visit" to Iran, which follows the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Furthermore, Takht-Ravanchi mentioned in an interview with ISNA on February 10 that recent negotiations between Iran and the EU regarding regional issues, including Iraq and Syria, had resulted in an agreement to hold a new round of talks in Brussels in about 6 to 7 months. Brussels, the capital of Belgium, is the main headquarters of EU institutions, and Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's Foreign Minister, had recently traveled to this city to meet with Mogherini and Belgian and European officials. According to Majid Takht-Ravanchi, discussions with European officials included "the issue of refugees, combating terrorism and extremism," and talks were held for joint cooperation in this area. Based on the nuclear agreement reached between Iran and six world powers, which was implemented two months ago, Tehran's nuclear activities have significantly decreased. Consequently, international sanctions and Western sanctions related to the nuclear program have also been lifted. Mogherini was the coordinator of negotiations between the six world powers and Iranian officials and had met several times with Mohammad Javad Zarif in recent months.