(MENAFN) During a phone call on Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian and European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell emphasized the importance of ongoing discussions and reciprocal visits to lift nuclear-related sanctions on Iran.

Borrell stressed the EU's continued prioritization of concluding the nuclear talks and reiterated the necessity of dialogue and sanction removal.

Amir Abdollahian highlighted recent discussions between his deputy Ali Bagheri Kani and Borrell's deputy Enrique Mora regarding the resumption of nuclear negotiations. He reaffirmed Iran's commitment to constructive talks with the International Atomic Energy Agency, emphasizing the expectation for Western parties to fulfill their obligations and fully commit to sanction removal.

The 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was abandoned by Donald Trump in May 2018. Attempts to revive the agreement under Joe Biden's presidency faltered after the West withdrew from talks following unrest in Iran in 2022.

Additionally, Abdollahian commended Borrell's stance on halting the Israeli military campaign in Gaza and providing humanitarian assistance to the 2.3 million residents affected by the conflict.

He further declared, “The time has arrived to take punitive measures against the Israeli regime and forming an international research group” to investigate “about the ‘combined crimes’ of this regime in al-Shifa hospital” in Gaza.

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