EP-Iran-Majlis
An Iranian parliamentary delegation currently visiting Brussels met leaders of political groups in the European Parliament Tuesday and discussed EU-Iran parliamentary ties and other issues of mutual interest.

"We discussed a number of issues. We touched obviously on some of the security issues which are currently dividing us," Graham Watson, leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) told IRNA after meeting the Iranian MPs.

He described his one-hour discussion with Mahmoud Mohammadi, chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations in the Iranian Majlis ( Parliament) as "very friendly and fruitful."
Mohammadi is leading a 4-member Iran parliamentary delegation on a 3-day visit to Brussels.

They also discussed relations between the western world and the Islamic world, in particular how we can improve dialogue between our civilizations and how we can work together on the big issues that are facing us all, said Watson, a British MEP.

"We believe the western world needs to make much more serious steps towards nuclear disarmament if we are to have a convincing policy for the world," he said.

ALDE with 89 MEPs is the third-largest political group in the EP.

The Iranian deputies also met a British MEP Barones Nicholson and the Vice Chairman of the Socialist group Hannes Swoboda and discussed ways to promote EU-Iran parliamentary cooperation.

Later in the afternoon, they will meet the leader of Greens in the EP, Cohn-Bendit and would attend a dinner hosted by the chairman of the EP’s foreign relations committee, Elmar Brok.

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana will also receive the Iranian Majlis delegation later Tuesday.

For the first time since it was set up in 2004, the Delegation for relations with Iran in the EP held inter-parliamentary meeting with its Iranian counterparts in Brussels Monday evening.

In a related news an Iranian parliamentary delegation met the speaker of the Belgian parliament, Hermann de Croo, in Brussels Tuesday and discussed the progress of bilateral Belgo-Iranian parliamentary ties.

Mahmoud Mohammadi, chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations in the Iranian Majlis (Parliament) is leading a 4-member parliamentary delegation on a 2-day visit to Brussels.

"We had a very frank discussion and I told the chairman and the delegates of what was our impression and also to come back to better relations as we have had in the past,’’ de Croo told IRNA after the one-hour meeting.

"We have a long tradition of relations in the past with this important country,’’ he said.

"We have to get rid on all sides the so-called nuclear problem," he said adding that perhaps due to lack of explanation there was a cloud of suspicion surrounding the issue.

"As soon as that important issue will be behind us it will have a positive effect on the commercial, cultural and economic relations between Belgium and Iran," he noted.

Hermann de Croo visited Iran in December 2001.

On his part, Mohammadi described his talks as ’very useful and constructive.’ and said he told de Croo se that Iran is ready to strengthen parliamentary ties with Belgium and proposed the formation of a friendship group and exchange of delegations.

Mohammadi explained Iran’s transparent policy on the nuclear programme for peaceful use and said Europe must support the path of dialogue to resolve the nuclear issues.

He noted that the position of the Belgian side was very positive on further expansion of bilateral relations.