British foreign secretary in Iran to discuss nuclear deal, bilateral issues
November 18, 2018 - British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt arrived in Tehran on Monday for the first time since taking office to hold talks with Iranian authorities on issues including the future of the 2015 nuclear deal.
In May, US President Donald Trump abandoned the deal, negotiated with five other world powers during Democratic President Barack Obama's administration. The United States also restored sanctions targeting Iran's oil, banking and transportation sectors earlier this month.
"He will meet (Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad) Zarif today and the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani," state TV reported.
Hunt's office said in a statement that, during his meeting with Zarif, he would stress that the UK is committed to the nuclear deal as long as Iran sticks to its terms. He will also discuss European efforts to maintain nuclear-related sanctions relief.
Other signatories of the deal, the European Union, France, Germany, Britain, Russia and China, have been searching for ways to salvage the pact.
Hunt said in a statement ahead of the visit that the Iran nuclear deal remains a vital component of stability in the Middle East.
Iran has warned it could scrap the accord if the bloc fails to preserve the deal’s economic benefits against US pressure.
Hunt will also discuss developments in the region as well as the issue of human rights.
On November 5, Iranian and British top diplomats held a telephone conversation, discussing bilateral ties and the nuclear deal in the face of US withdrawal from the agreement and the reimposition of sanctions.
Hunt emphasized London’s commitment to the nuclear agreement and called for preparation and immediate implementation of a financial mechanism proposed by the European Union to facilitate economic cooperation with Tehran.
In a joint statement released on Nov. 2 and signed by EU’s foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, as well as foreign ministers of the three European signatories to the nuclear deal, including Hunt, the parties voiced commitment to working on the preservation and maintenance of effective financial channels with Iran, and the continuation of Iran’s export of oil and gas.
Jeremy Hunt, Britain’s long-serving health minister, was appointed Britain’s foreign secretary in July, following Boris Johnson’s resignation from the job after deep divisions over the withdrawal of the UK from the European Union.