'President Rouhani's visit was a superb start to break the ice of strained relations between Iran and the European continent. It was a good start.' said Mousavian in an interview to Fararu.
Responding to a question on outcome of visit of President Rouhani to Italy and France, he said that the reality is that due to deep ideological differences, Iran is at odds with Europe on certain issues like human rights and the western governments refusal to join the international campaign against terrorism and their unconditional support to Israeli systematic killing of the Palestinian people and prolonged occupation of the Palestinian territories.
He said that the differences will remain until re-appearance of the Imam of Age from long period of occultation.
'Unless the nature of the Islamic Republic government changes or Europeans become Muslims – Shia Muslims; something which will never happen,' he said ironically.
He said that even if Europeans become Muslim, the two sides will never have strategic relations because the chronology of Iran and Saudi Arabia have developed problematic ties 's diplomacy after Islamic Revolution has shown that Iran's problems with certain Muslim countries such as Saudi Arabia have been not less but more than problem with westerners.
Asked how to achieve moderate and lasting relations with Europe as Iran and the states suffer differences in human rights and terrorism, he said that the situation has changed since President Rouhani took office and a kind of strategic dialogue with an aim of achieving moderate and lasting relations can be established with Europeans.'
He said there are six main preconditions for moderate and lasting relations between Iran and Europe.
'First, national political endeavor on consensus. Second, accepting the reality that domestic consensus in the US is broken in US against Iran. Third, to ensure success of new strategic dialogue with Europe, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the states should welcome de-escalation with the US. Fourth, to have double-purpose dialogue with Europe. Fifth, avoid provocative measures and slogans such as attack on the UK Embassy and the slogan of negating Holocaust heightened during tenure of former president, Mohmoud Ahmadinejad, and other provocative measure as recent attack on Saudi Embassy. Sixth, turning Iran-Europe 'superficial and economic' relations into 'deep industrial and economic relations'.
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Tehran, Feb 2, IRNA -- A former top Iranian diplomat Hossein Mousavian said on Tuesday that President Hassan Rouhani's European tour was a good start for ice-breaking of ties.
