Hollande Calls Rouhani: Towards Solving ME Crisis

Local Editor

French President Francois Hollande agreed in a phone conversation with Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani on Thursday to reinforce bilateral cooperation between the countries after last week's nuclear deal in Vienna, Hollande's office said.

"[French Foreign Minister] Laurent Fabius' visit to Iran on July 29 is aimed at initiating this development," Hollande's office said in a statement.

Hollande said during the conversation with Rouhani that he wanted Iran to make a positive contribution to solving crises in the Middle East, according to the statement.

Rouhani meanwhile tweeted that "President Francois Hollande welcomes #IranDeal and Iran's constructive role in the negotiations, which is fostering peace in the region."

The conversation marks the latest step by Western leaders to beef up contacts with Iran since the July 14 deal in Vienna.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius is to visit Iran next Wednesday.

His trip follows a similar visit by German Economy Minister and Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel, who was the first top Western official to visit the country since the deal was struck.

Austrian President Heinz Fischer in September will make the first visit to Iran by a European head of state since 2004, his office said Thursday.

That visit will take place from September 7 to 9.

On Monday the UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution endorsing the deal on Iran's nuclear program and cleared a path to lift the sanctions.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team