EU aims for better ties with Iran: dpa

The European Union is seeking better ties with Iran when EU foreign ministers meet later in the day in Brussels, Germany's dpa news agency reported Monday.

The EU is to stress its desire to have improved relations with Tehran and
is to welcome again the readiness of American President Barack Obama to
have direct contacts with Iran.

The EU meeting is also to focus on efforts by EU foreign policy chief Javier
Solana to revive talks for settling the row over Tehran's nuclear program.

Last month, the EU had called on Iran to return to the negotiation table in
a bid to settle the impasse over its nuclear program.

According to news reports, Brussels had been pondering to agree to a
pre-negotiation phase with Iran by easing its tough pre-conditions.

Western media outlets reported last month on an EU communique in which EU governments expressed support for Obama’s bid to reach out to Iran, placing the emphasis on diplomacy rather than sanctions to resolve the dispute over Iran’s nuclear program.

The statement which was released by EU foreign ministers urged a diplomatic settlement of Iran's nuclear dispute and made no explicit call for tighter economic sanctions that Washington is contemplating.

“The EU warmly supports the new direction of US policy towards Iran. The EU calls upon Iran to seize this opportunity to engage seriously with the international community,” the communique was quoted as saying.

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