The Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, Prof. Dr Dragoljub Micunovic received the Deputy Foreign Minister for European Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Dr Ali Ahani at the National Assembly House.

In the meeting, the Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman and Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister opined that the parliamentary contacts between the Republic of Serbia and the Islamic Republic of Iran have been intensified, a fact greatly contributed to by the visit of National Assembly Speaker Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic to Iran. The cooperation should continue to intensify in the upcoming period, they stressed. They also noted the potential for strengthening economic cooperation, cultural relations and parliamentary contacts.

Dragoljub Micunovic stated that joining the European Union is Serbia’s most important foreign policy priority, but so is cooperation with non-EU countries.

Ali Ahani briefed the Committee Chairman on Iran’s nuclear programme and invited him to visit Iran so as to continue the existing cooperation.

Dragoljub Micunovic also touched upon the subject of human rights, asking about the enforcement of Islamic laws such as the stoning of women and death penalty. Ali Ahani stressed that one should take into account the historical circumstances, tradition and different cultural models. Iran respects human rights and is gradually abolishing some forms of punishment condemned by certain non-governmental organisations in the world. The officials agreed that the culture of respecting human rights and freedoms in the world should continue to develop in future.

The meeting was attended by the Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia to the Islamic Republic of Iran, H.E. Aleksandar Tasic.