TEHRAN - Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee Chairman Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh said on Monday that Daesh would have reached the gates of Europe if it had not been for Iran’s fight against the group in Iraq and Syria.

Falahatpisheh made the remarks as ambassadors from 27 European countries had a meeting with the MPs sitting on the parliamentary committee.

The senior lawmaker said, “The Iranians have made sacrifices and hundreds of Iranians have been martyred to prevent spread of terrorism.”

He added, “We are cooperating with Europe in areas such as campaign against drug smuggling and human trafficking, so I believe we should strengthen ties in the current situation.” 

The principlist lawmaker representing Kurdish population from Kermanshah province also called for efforts to reduce differences between Iran and the European Union and work on common interests.

Calling the current situation in the region “critical”, he said, “Iran and the European Union’s members are in a situation in which their approach towards international developments affects international relations.” 

For his part, Austrian ambassador to Tehran Stefan Scholz, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the EU, said that the European bloc will remain in the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, as long as Iran meet its obligation under the deal.

He noted that removal of sanctions is the main part of the nuclear deal.

“It is the Iranians right to enjoy benefits of the JCPOA especially in economic sphere,” he said.

U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew Washington from the nuclear agreement and ordered sanctions against Iran. The first batch of sanctions took effect on August 6.

NA/PA