Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Assefi on Wednesday strongly reacted to the recent remarks by Italy's deputy foreign minister in which he linked Iran's economic ties with the European Union to the Islamic Republic signing the additional protocol to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Assefi said that the remarks had been influenced by Washington's propaganda about Iran's peaceful nuclear activities, adding that the Islamic Republic and the EU have based their political and economic ties on mutual respect. However, Iran never agreed to any preconditions for starting talks with the EU and will definitely not accept any preconditions for continuing relations with the union.

The recent expansion of Iran–EU ties shows that Iran and the EU have based their relations on accepted international norms and mutual respect.

The EU strengthened ties with Iran due to its realization that Iran plays an important economic and political role in the region, particularly in maintaining regional security. The EU is also aware of the fact that Iran bases its relations with other countries on the three principles of wisdom, dignity, and expediency. Any failure to consider these points could harm Iran-EU ties.

European countries know that the U.S. has increased political pressure on Europe with the aim of damaging Iran-EU relations, since the hostile U.S. policy toward Iran and the imposition of economic sanctions have prevented U.S. corporations from participating in Iran's economic projects.

U.S. officials have not hidden their animosity on this issue and have even tried to sabotage Iran-Russia relations, but to no avail.

In a parliamentary meeting on Wednesday, British MP Teddy Taylor strongly criticized the recent IAEA resolution against Iran. He described Iran as one of the most rational countries in the Persian Gulf region, saying it should be dealt with in a prudent and fair manner.

European countries are not vassal states of the U.S. Empire. The EU should resist the U.S. pressure and take its own interests into consideration in its deliberations on its relations with Iran.