Iran, Switzerland discuss regional, int’l issues

A02521046.jpgTEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Europe and American Affairs Saeed Jalili met with Swiss Vice-President and Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey in Bern on Thursday.

A statement released by the Foreign Ministry’s Information and Press Bureau said that the two sides discussed the latest developments in Iran’s peaceful nuclear case, avenues for bolstering bilateral relations as well as leading regional and international issues.

Also during the meeting the Iranian official congratulated Calmy-Rey on her election as Swiss vice-president which would start as of January 1, 2007, and further extended an invitation to her to pay a visit to Tehran.

Noting the new developments in the international system, he pointed to the failure of unilateralism in the world, and said that the inefficiency and failure of unilateral policies and resort to force to settle international issues were seen in several elections held across the world including those recently held in the US.

Reminding that many senior world officials have confirmed Iran’s regional and international power, the senior diplomat stated, “Many Western officials and analysts are surprised to see that exertion of pressures on Iran for many years has produced no result but further reinvigoration of Iran’s national power, something which is actually the result of good and consolidated relations between the Iranian government and people.”

“The Iranian nation takes further steps towards progress and development by relying on this important strategy,” he continued.

The Iranian deputy foreign minister also reminded that the pressures imposed on Iran due to its peaceful nuclear activities have merely strengthened national will in the country.

Elsewhere, he said that the presence of foreign powers in Afghanistan and Iraq has just increased instability and killing of the innocent civilians.

For her part, Swiss Vice-President and Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey noted Iran’s significant standing and its crucial and influential role in the region and said Switzerland attaches much significance to its relations with Tehran.

She further pointed out that regular and several contacts by the two countries’ political officials in 2006 indicate Iran and Switzerland’s desirable ties, and voiced her country’s enthusiasm for the reinvigoration of bilateral relations with Iran.

The Swiss foreign minister also proposed officials of the two countries to hold regular talks on various issues of mutual interest to reach more understanding.

She also stressed that Tehran and Bern enjoy a common stance on several international issues.

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