Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Venizelos’ meetings during the second day of his visit to Iran (16 March 2014)

During the last day of his visit to Tehran, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos was received today by the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Hassan Rouhani, to whom he had the opportunity to convey the warm greetings of the President of the Hellenic Republic, and with whom he discussed matters pertaining to bilateral political, economic and trade relations –within the framework of the international legal order and the relevant decisions of the UN and the EU – as well as EU-Iran relations, as Greece currently holds the rotating Presidency of the Council of the EU.

President Rouhani took the opportunity to reiterate his firm political will to achieve a comprehensive, definitive agreement on the nuclear programme, underscoring the role Greece can play and the importance of Greek-Iranian relations in both the political and economic sectors.

Mr. Venizelos was also received by the chairman of the Expediency Discernment Council of Iran, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, with whom he discussed issues similar to those he discussed with President Rouhani, while special reference was made to the close cultural and historical ties between the two countries.

Finally, Mr. Venizelos met with the Secretary General of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, Ali Shamkhani.

March 16, 2014