First Round of New Talks Between Iran and the European Union: Next Month in Tehran

Majid Takht-Ravanchi, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic, announced the first round of talks between Iran and the European Union will take place in early February, next week, in Tehran. In an interview with the Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA) published on Wednesday, February 7, he stated that these discussions will be "at the deputy level" and will cover various political, economic, regional, and international topics. According to the Deputy for Europe and America at the Iranian Foreign Ministry, these negotiations are set to occur every six months in Tehran and Brussels. Brussels, the capital of Belgium, is the headquarters of the European Commission, Parliament, and Council. As Majid Takht-Ravanchi mentioned, the negotiations between the Islamic Republic and the European Union will take place shortly after the implementation of the nuclear agreement or JCPOA, which led to the lifting of unprecedented international sanctions against Iran. The head of the EU delegation in the first round of talks with Iran will be Helga Schmid, Deputy Secretary-General for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the EU. Takht-Ravanchi also referred to the "significant sensitivities" in relations between Iran and Britain, stating that "alongside these sensitivities, both sides are determined to expand their relations based on mutual respect, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, and common interests." The Deputy Foreign Minister of Iran said, "We do not want to be trapped by the past, but at the same time, we cannot completely close our eyes to what has happened in the past." According to Takht-Ravanchi, the Islamic Republic's decision is to "move forward" and "our movement is towards elevating relations to the level of ambassadorial exchange." However, he added that a specific date for this matter cannot be determined. Britain closed its embassy in Tehran after a number of "Basij students" attacked and destroyed the building in January 2012, leading to the expulsion of Iranian diplomats from Britain. The embassies of both countries were simultaneously reopened on September 1 of this year, although their status has remained at the chargé d'affaires level until now.