Local Editor

European Union foreign policy Chief Federica Mogherini arrived in the Iranian capital at the head of a high-ranking political and economic delegation in a visit aimed at enhancing EU-Tehran relations.

Mogherini reached Tehran on Saturday alongside a group of senior European commissioners, including industry commissioner Elzbieta Bienkowska, transport commissioner Violeta Bulc and energy commissioner Miguel Arias Canete.

This is the second time the EU foreign policy chief visits the Islamic Republic following the conclusion in Vienna of a nuclear agreement between the country and the P5+1 group of countries -- five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany - last July.

Mogherini chaired the P5+1 states during the nuclear negotiations with the Islamic Republic.

She is scheduled to first sit down for talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. A joint press conference will follow.

During her one-day trip, Mogherini will also be meeting Iran's Parliament [Majlis] Speaker Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani, and Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior advisor to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei.

Besides the expansion of Iran-EU relations, the talks are expected to focus on the opening of a permanent EU diplomatic office in Tehran as well as the deadly crisis in Syria.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team