Ample grounds for Iran-Netherlands ties

“There are many opportunities for bilateral cooperation between the two countries in different fields,” Zarif said in a joint press conference with Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders in Amsterdam on Thursday.
He added that Tehran and Amsterdam have always maintained amicable and deep-rooted relations.

The top Iranian diplomat arrived in Amsterdam on Wednesday on the second leg of his European tour at the head of a top delegation to hold talks with senior Dutch officials.

He earlier paid a two-day visit to the French capital of Paris and held negotiations with President Francois Hollande, his French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault, President of France National Assembly Claude Bartolone and Senate President Gerard Larcher.

After his daylong stay in Amsterdam, the Iranian foreign minister will set off for The Hague.

Good opportunity for expansion of Iran-Netherlands ties
The Dutch foreign minister, for his part, said Tehran and Amsterdam have a very good opportunity to improve relations following the implementation of last year’s nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries - the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany.

Koenders added that in the talks with his Iranian counterpart, they exchanged views about leading issues in the Middle East, particularly the latest developments in Iraq and Syria.

Zarif’s meeting with OPCW director general
The Iranian foreign minister also on Thursday met with Director General of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Ahmet Uzumcu.

Zarif paid tribute to the victims of chemical weapons by laying a wreath at a monument built for them.

/SR