Federica Mogherini Arrives in Tehran

Federica Mogherini, the EU's foreign policy chief, arrived in Tehran on Saturday, April 17, accompanied by a political and economic delegation. According to IRNA, she is set to meet and discuss with Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's foreign minister, and both will then hold a joint press conference. On her Twitter account, Mogherini wrote: 'I am going to Iran for the second time after the nuclear agreement, this time leading a delegation of seven commissioners to initiate cooperation between Iran and Europe.' The 24-hour visit by Mogherini comes just days after the Italian Prime Minister's visit to Tehran. According to reports, the EU foreign policy chief stated in a statement on Friday that this meeting is an important step towards establishing relations between the EU and Iran based on cooperation. Mogherini visited Tehran last year after the signing of the nuclear agreement between Iran and six world powers, where she met and discussed with Iranian officials. Iran and the members of the 1+5 group reached an agreement on July 14 last year to significantly reduce Tehran's nuclear activities, in exchange for which international nuclear sanctions against the Islamic Republic would be lifted. This agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was implemented in January of last year. Meanwhile, a senior EU official stated that the opportunity for renewed cooperation with Iran has now arisen. In this context, the EU has announced that during Mogherini's visit to Tehran and her meetings with officials from the country, issues such as trade, humanitarian aid, civilian nuclear cooperation, and human rights will be discussed. A senior EU official also mentioned that since Mogherini played a role in the nuclear negotiations with Iran, she now hopes to advance diplomatic efforts to end the wars in Syria and Yemen. This official also added that the EU supports Iran's efforts to join the World Trade Organization, but Iran must also implement laws related to combating money laundering and preventing terrorists from using the financial system.