Iran and Austria emphasize the expansion of bilateral judicial and human rights cooperation

In this meeting, the parties emphasized on the expansion of bilateral judicial and human rights cooperation and the development and exchange of information and experience in this field.

According to the information base of the High Council for Human Rights, Dr. Martin Eichtinger, deputy for business and international affairs of the Provincial Government of Lower Austria, together with Barbara Grosse, chargé d'affaires and head of cultural section of Austrian Embassy in Iran, and Mr. Bruce, member of Provincial Government of Lower Austria, met with Dr. Seyed Majid Tafreshi, the Deputy for International Affairs of the High Council for Human Rights.

In this meeting, while presenting a report on the opening of a joint Austrian-Iranian scientific and research center on cancer treatment using the highest scientific methods and with the cooperation of Atomic Energy Organization of the Iran, the Austrian party referred to the seven-hundred-years history of relations between the two countries.

He added that Iran and Austria has been establishing formal political relations for one hundred and fifty years, and has had continuous cultural cooperation with each other for more than sixty years.

He considered very valuable the seven-hundred-year relations between the two countries.

Dr. Eichinger recalled the Austrian President's congratulatory letter for the election of Ayatollah Ra'isi as next President of Iran as well as the good economic and political relations between the two countries and the need for its continuation.

Other topics highlighted by Austrian party in this meeting were the good judicial and legal cooperation between the two countries and the need to exchange specialized delegations; Austria willingness to continue cultural and social cooperation with Iran while benefiting from the capacity of UN offices, especially the WHO and UNICEF; inviting the High Council for Human Rights to travel to Austria and to continue human rights cooperation; and the importance of multilateralism-based policies towards success.

Mr. Eichinger also expressed hope for the success of Iran and the international community in the revival of JCPOA.

In the following, the Deputy for International Affairs of the High Council for Human Rights thanked Austria for its strong will to develop bilateral cooperation in various fields and recalled good relations between the two countries, especially after the Islamic Revolution, including three official visits of the Austrian President to Iran plus arranging dozens of visits between the two countries at the level of the speaker of parliament, ministers and other high-ranking officials.

Dr Tafreshi considered Austria as a leading country in establishing and managing relations based on rationality and mutual respect towards Iran, compared to other European countries. He also added: "In today's world, relations based on superiority and degrading treatments has lost its position and does not have any contribution to the promotion of relations and international peace and security.

The most important issues raised by Dr. Tafreshi are as follows:

The importance of JCPOA and the need for the stability of European states to maintain it, in accordance with the principles and objectives of the Charter of the United Nations, in particular Article 25;

The positive view of Mr. Ra'isi towards JCPOA, in case of ending the current non-constructive situation and full fulfillment of the obligations by foreign parties;

Welcoming the continuation and expansion of bilateral and international judicial and legal cooperation between the two countries;

Thanking Austria for supporting the Islamic Republic of Iran in the process of membership in the UN Commission on the Status of Women;

The need to pay attention to the view of the elected president of Iran on the position and the capacity of inter-religious dialogue and cooperation in the process of establishing relations based on mutual respect between countries;

Referring to Iran's effective efforts in various areas of human rights, especially granting leave to more than one hundred and twenty thousand prisoners during the period of COVID-19, and the fact that thousands of these people were finally enjoyed permanent release;

Welcoming the invitation by the Austrian party to visit their country and emphasizing the need to exchange information and experience in various legal and judicial fields;

Referring to the good and continuous cooperation of the High Council for Human Rights and it's members such as ministry of foreign affairs with political and international delegations based in Tehran and announcing the readiness of this Council to exchange information and experience and to develop human rights cooperation with the Austrian government as well as with the relevant National Human Rights Institution of this country.

At the end, while presenting a book on the activities of the province where he served, Mr Eichinger considered the dialogue as an important capacity in increasing relations between the two countries and welcomed Mr. Ra'isi's proposal to create a dynamic mechanism for the development of dialogue, including in the inter-religious field.