The Iranian Leader, however, lauded Vienna for not showing blind obedience to the US policies, and said, “Of course Austria is not among those countries and it is needed that the two countries’ officials to plan and follow up the matters in a bid to strengthen their relations.”
The Iranian Leader blasted the European states’ support for Washington's hostility towards Iran, and said, “The compliance of certain European countries' with the United States’ hostile policies towards Iran is illogical.”
“Of course, Austria is not among such states and the two countries’ officials need to do planning to reinvigorate bilateral ties,” Ayatollah Khamenei added.
The Iranian Leader underlined that importance of planning for strengthening the two countries’ relations and in response to President Fischer's question about the future Iran-EU relations said that there have been talks by the European governments about resumption of ties, but one has to wait and see the practical nature of such talks.
Ayatollah Khamenei also pointed to the measures and corruption of the diversionary currents that is taking place in the region in the name of Islam, and said, “Islam is not what these currents are introducing, but Islamic is based on a solid logic, faith and ration.”
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was also present at the meeting.
The Austrian president, for his part, thanked the Iranians for their hospitality and described his meeting with Iranian officials as good and constructive, and said, 'We should work on issues and talks in order to achieve further agreement.
President Fischer expressed his pleasure in the Iranian Leader's positive outlook towards Austria, and said, “My talks with President Rouhani were good and we are optimistic towards the future.”
“A new opportunity has now been created for mutual cooperation,” he added.
Fischer arrived in Tehran on Monday, heading a 240-member delegation, at the invitation of his Iranian counterpart in a bid to discuss ways to improve relations between Vienna and Tehran.
Earlier today, President Fischer underlined that his country's coalition government and major political parties are in consensus over the policy of all-out expansion of relations with Iran.
“The Austrian government comprises two main political coalitions both of which lay emphasis on and are very eager to create a strong economic bond with Iran,” President Fischer said, addressing a joint Iran-Austria trade and economic meeting in Tehran.
He reiterated that Vienna is willing to cooperate with Iran in both political and economic fields, and said, “All of us want establishment of friendly relations between Iran and Austria; economic and political relations play complementary roles to each other, so improvement of diplomatic ties will result in boosting economic cooperation and it will in turn make the two nations get closer to each other.”
President Fischer underlined that the conditions are now ripe for broadening the two countries’ relations.
The Austrian president, meantime, voiced his satisfaction in the nuclear agreement reached between Iran and the Group 5+1 (the US, Russia, China, France and Britain plus Germany) in Vienna on July 14.
Earlier today, President Fischer, in a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani in Tehran, announced that Austria’s bilateral trade with Iran will grow to $335 million this year.
“The volume of Tehran-Vienna trade will continue its upward trend in the coming years,” Fischer said.
He added that the two governments had agreed to increase political and economic cooperation, and the agreements would benefit both sides equally; IRNA reported.