UK minister visits Iran; Tehran wants Europe to act on nuclear deal
DUBAI (Reuters) - A junior minister held talks in Iran on Saturday, as Tehran said European states should take action if they wanted to save Iran’s nuclear deal after the U.S. withdrawal from it, Iranian state media reported.
FILE PHOTO: Alistair Burt arrives at 10 Downing Street as Britain's re-elected Prime Minister David Cameron names his new cabinet, in central London, Britain May 11, 2015. REUTERS/Neil Hall
“Among issues we have with Britain as a country ... remaining in the agreement is access to banking resources and the sale of oil,” state news agency IRNA quoted Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif as telling reporters.
“It is time for the Europeans to act in addition to voicing their political commitment. These measures may be costly, but if countries want to reap benefits and if they believe the nuclear accord is an international achievement, they should be ready to keep these achievements.”
Britain and other European signatories are trying to keep the nuclear deal alive, despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s reimposition of sanctions on Tehran.
UK’s Junior Foreign Minister Alistair Burt earlier met Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s state television reported
“The talks mainly covered economic cooperation and mechanisms of financial and monetary dealings between the two countries after the U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear accord,” the television report said.
The two sides also discussed regional developments, it added.
In a statement before his visit, Burt said: “As long as Iran meets its commitments under the deal, we remain committed to it as we believe it is the best way to ensure a safe, secure future for the region.”
Burt was also expected to discuss the cases of dual nationals detained in Iran.
Britain is seeking the release of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a project manager with the Thomson Reuters Foundation who was arrested in April 2016 at a Tehran airport as she headed back to Britain with her daughter, now aged four, after a family visit.
She was convicted of plotting to overthrow Iran’s clerical establishment, a charge denied by her family and the Foundation, a charity organisation that is independent of Thomson Reuters and operates independently of Reuters News.
Burt is due to meet non-governmental organisations during his two-day visit, in which he will also discuss Iran’s role in conflicts in Syria and Yemen.
Reporting by Dubai newsroom; editing by Andrew Roche
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