BRUSSELS European Union and Iranian officials, scholars and experts are in agreement that EU-Iran ties are at a turning point and that the Islamic Republic has the potential of becoming a major regional partner of Europe.

These views were underlined at a conference on 'relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran, the EU and Belgium' that started in Brussels Monday morning.

Jan de Bock, secretary-general of the Belgian Foreign Ministry, in his opening remarks noted that a "new kind of relations between the EU and Iran and Belgium were developing."

He said that Iran's ties both with individual EU member states and recently with the EU as a whole had made "quite substantial progress."

"Iran has the potential of becoming a major regional partner of Europe," De Bock said.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Education and Research, Sadeq Kharrazi, in his opening statements said there exists "significant opportunities of understanding, cooperation and mutual positive interactions" between the EU and the Islamic Republic.

"Ties between Iran and the EU can be strengthened through the regular channels and consultations on different issues, including Afghanistan situation, drug trafficking, refugee problems and regional and international economic, political and security tensions and crises."

"As a victim of terrorism and also chemical weapons, Iran strongly condemns all types of terrorism and has stated that multilateral cooperation is needed to fight and contain terrorism," said Kharrazi.

The one-day event, the first of its kind in Brussels, is organized by the Political Science Department of the University of Liege and the Royal Institute for International Relations.

Government officials from Belgium and Iran, members of European Parliament, European Commission officials and a large number of diplomats, scholars, experts and journalists are taking part in the conference being held in the Palais d'Egmont of the Belgian Foreign Ministry.

The morning session dealt with the political and economic relations between Iran and the EU.

Baroness Nicholson, Vice Chairperson of the Foreign Relations Committee of the European Parliament, in her speech said "Iran is very much on our agenda.''

Nicholson said the EP recently passed a resolution recommending to send a small delegation to Iran. She has also invited a Majlis delegation to visit the EP.

The Baroness described Iran as a "center of Islamic civilization" and a country whose literature and philosophy inspired the world.

Jesper Hostrup, Principal Administrator (Iran Desk) from the European Commission, noted that the EU has become aware of Iran's important role in the global war on terrorism.

Referring to the expected mandate from the EU Council to begin talks with Iran on a trade and cooperation agreement, Hostrup said the EU was interested in continuing cooperation with the Islamic Republic in areas of mutual interest like energy, refugees, drugs.

Mohammad Kazem Sajjadpour, Director General of the Tehran- based Institute for Political and International Studies (IPIS) briefed the gathering on the activities of his institute.

Abadollah Mollahi, director of the IPIS Department of Euro-American studies examined the development of EU-Iran ties in an historic perspective.

Speaking on the role of culture in EU-Iran political relations, Mollahi said the cultural dialogue between the two sides would create a balanced approach for a joint constructive role in the regional and international arena.