MNA I Maryam Azish: Iranian FM Zarif took part in Munich Security Conference in Germany where he addressed the prestigious event and negotiated with world senior officials on the sidelines of gathering.


The Islamic Republic of Iran's priorities in economic diplomacy as well as its megaprojects in various areas.

Europe has never suffered loss from its economic and commercial cooperation with Iran and even in times of sanctions, Tehran has fulfilled all its commitments regarding the European private and state companies and it has in fact been and will be a reliable trade partner for Europe.

Zero-sum approaches

Addressing the conference opened in Munich on Feb 17, Zarif stressed that in a world where security actors have multiplied, no single power, however disproportionately powerful or even a concert of major powers can address global or regional challenges by excluding or blaming others.

“I believe what is urgently needed today is a cognitive transition, commensurate with the realities of the global transition; realities that have challenged zero-sum approaches; overwhelmed global as well as regional hegemonic aspirations; and undermined convenient framings and 'alternative facts,” Zarif said.

“In other words, we all need to realize that in a globalized world, achieving security at the expense of insecurity of others is an unrealistic – even absurd – proposition,” he added.

Nuclear weapons

Zarif stressed that Iran would never seek to build a nuclear weapon, taking an apparent shot at Israel for being the true nuclear-armed actor endangering the region.

"We will never produce nuclear weapons, period," Zarif said. The Iranian foreign minister added that Iran had been committed to this in the nuclear, but has yet to receive the reciprocal fulfilling of the deal from the other side. "The international community still owes us," Zarif stated.

In apparent response to US President Donald Trump's comments that he was putting Iran "on notice" over ballistic missile tests last month, Zarif stated that, "We do not respond well to threats."

Pandora's box

Zarif told the NBC News in an exclusive interview on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference that threats do not work against Iran, adding dismissing possibilities for Iran’s nuclear deal to be renegotiated.

There's little appetite for opening 'Pandora's box,' he told the American TV channel rejecting any possibility for reopening the nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers.

“It's a multilateral deal and multilateral deals cannot be reopened for negotiations because it would open a Pandora's box,” he said.

“I believe the nuclear deal is going to last,” Iran’s top diplomat said.

About the claims made by the White House over Iran’s missile test, then imposing new sanctions on Iranian companies and individuals, Zarif warned that Iran doesn't 'respond well' to such language and dismissed sanctions as ineffective.

“It would work much better if they decided to use the language of respect, the language of mutual interest,” he said.

Talking of the Jan 27 visa ban imposed by President Trump on the nationals of seven Muslim countries including Iran, Zarif said 'It shows the hostility is towards all Iranians — even Iranian members of Parliament in Europe, because there are ministers, members of parliament in Europe who were born in Iran and they cannot enter the United States. This is absurd. What is the message that the United States Government is trying to send?'

Various meetings

Zarif and his entourage held talks with various senior officials of the world countries such as the European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres,  President of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region Masoud Barzani, UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Yukia Amano, ministers of foreign affairs of Spain, Oman, England, Russian Federation, Turkey, France, Slovenia, Sweden, Afghanistan,  Norwegian, German, Ukraine, Syria etc.

Sign of hostility

During a meeting with a number of Iranian academicians living in Germany, Zarif said that through their resistance, the Iranian people have shown they will not tolerate threat.

Referring to the plan pursued by the new US government to impose a visa ban on Iranian nationals, the foreign minister said that the US behavior is a sign of hostility with the Iranian people despite their false claims (of friendship).

Implementation of nuclear deal

Speaking with Zarif, Mogherini emphasized the “need for a full and effective implementation by all sides throughout the lifetime of the agreement” known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Meanwhile, Omani FM praised Tehran’s role in recent regional developments, calling for expansion of mutual cooperation between the two courtiers.

Zarif and Staffan de Mistura also reviews the Syrian issue.

In a meantime, the UN Elders and Zarif reviewed different issues, including Daesh (the ISIS terrorist group), the crises in Syria, Yemen and Lebanon and other regional issues were discussed during the meeting.

Grave conditions

In the meantime, Zarif and Guterres discussed international and regional issues, including the situation in Yemen, Syria and Iraq and the grave conditions of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.

When Zarif met with Carl Bildt, the former prime minister of Sweden, the two sides reviews the issues of mutual interest.

Russia-Iran relations

Zarif and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov reviewed the situation in Syria and Russia-Iran relations and reviewed bilateral relations, including the schedule of upcoming contacts on various levels.

Nuclear club

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of Munich gathering, Zarif underlined that it will take forever for Iran to produce nuclear weapons because it is not going to do so.

Zarif made the remarks when asked how long it would take for Iran to make nuclear weapons.

Nuclear weapons would not bring about security neither for Iran nor for any other country, the foreign minister said, adding that now is the time for destroying the nuclear bombs of those possessing such weapons instead of entrance of others in the nuclear club.

Asked to comment about US President Donald Trump’s threats against Iran, Zarif said Iran will not be affected by coercion, rather it well responds to respect.

'Everybody tested us for many years — all threats and coercions were imposed on us,' Zarif said.

When the so-called crippling sanctions were imposed on Iran, the country had less than 2,000 centrifuges, but when the US came to the negotiating table, Iran had 20,000 centrifuges, Zarif added.

The MSC was attended on February 17-19 by 10 presidents, US Vice President Mike Pence, eight prime ministers, ministers of foreign affairs from 30 countries, ministers of defense from around 20 countries as well as the secretary generals of the United Nations, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Organization of the Islamic Cooperation, Arab League and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.