Iran's Zarif meets French President in Paris

06/23/16

Source: Press TV

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has met with French President Francois Hollande at the �lysee Palace in Paris. Boosting bilateral ties following Iran's historic nuclear deal, economic and business affairs, and the Middle East security issues, especially the conflict in Syria, were discussed during the Wednesday meeting, Zarif said.





French President Francois Hollande (L) shakes hands with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on the stairs of the �lysee presidential palace in Paris on June 22, 2016.

French President Francois Hollande (L) shakes hands with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on the stairs of the �lysee presidential palace in Paris on June 22, 2016.

Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - the United States, France, Britain, China and Russia - plus Germany signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on July 14, 2015, following two and a half years of intensive talks. The two sides started implementing the JCPOA on January 16.

Under the JCPOA, all nuclear-related sanctions imposed on Iran by the European Union, the Security Council and the US would be lifted. Iran has, in return, put some limitations on its nuclear activities.

Zarif arrived in Paris on Tuesday at the head of a high-ranking delegation on the first leg of his two-nation European tour which will also take him to the Netherlands.

Earlier on Wednesday, Zarif took part in a meeting with members of the committees of foreign affairs, national defense and armed forces of the French parliament.

Iran-Airbus deal

During the meeting, Zarif noted that the recent deal with US aviation company Boeing would pave the way for further contracts with their European rival Airbus.

"We thought to speed up our ties with Airbus, we should make a deal with Boeing first. Now we feel the situation is ripe for both," he said.

On Tuesday, Boeing confirmed a major plane purchase order placed by Iran's flag-carrier airline Iran Air.

The aviation giant announced in a statement that it had signed a deal with Iran Air "under authorizations from the US government following a determination that Iran had met its obligations under the nuclear accord reached last summer."

Iran Air said this week it wants to buy new generations of the Boeing 737, as well as the 300ER and 900 versions of the Boeing 777.