Iran, switzerland discuss bilateral ties, regional developments

High-ranking Iranian and Swiss diplomats, in a meeting in Tehran, stressed the need for the expansion of bilateral ties between the two friendly states, and also reviewed the latest developments in the region. The meeting was held between Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and new Swiss Ambassador to Tehran Julia Hoss in Tehran on Wednesday. During the meeting, Zarif said that Iran and Switzerland enjoy very good capacity for expansion of their bilateral ties. He described Switzerland as an “influential” country, specially in the political and economic fields, in the international community and Europe. Zarif said that with inauguration new Iranian government, ties with European countries, including Switzerland, would be promoted based on mutual respect. Also on recent regional developments, specially the Syria crisis, he expressed the hope that the West would use the opportunity available by the Russian initiative to avert another unwarranted war and bloodshed through diplomacy. The Swiss diplomat, for his part, extended warm greetings of Swiss Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter to his Iranian counterpart, calling for further expansion of ties, in the economic field in particular. Iran and Switzerland have tried to expand their bilateral relations in recent years through reciprocal visits by the two countries' officials. In mid-June, former Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi and former Swiss Ambassador Livia Leu Agosti to Iran in a meeting in Tehran discussed bilateral ties and mutual cooperation, specially in trade fields. During the meeting in Tehran, Salehi and Leu Agosti underlined the need for improving Tehran-Bern relations. Salehi also pointed to the current status of bilateral ties between Iran and Switzerland, and said, "Tehran and Bern must take full advantage of their entire unused capacities for expansion and strengthening of ties."