Hungary to further develop nuclear cooperation with Iran

Budapest, February 19 (MTI) – Hungary has agreed with Iran to further develop nuclear cooperation, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Friday.

Hungary backs endeavours to get the European Union to help in the training of Iranian nuclear experts, Szijjártó told a press conference after talks with Ali Akbar Salehi, Iran’s deputy leader and head of the country’s Atomic Energy Organisation.

Also, a further training scheme for Iranian nuclear experts taking place in Hungary under the supervision on the International Atomic Energy Agency is being expanded, he said.

Scientific research cooperation will be developed on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and talks will be started on the participation of Hungarian companies in the extraction of Iran’s hydrocarbon resources, he added.

Currently 1,100 Iranians are studying in Hungary and more are welcome, he added.

The success of talks between Iran and the international community has significantly improved global security, and the agreement is also important for Europe, Szijjártó said. Iran belongs to a region of deepening conflicts, he noted, arguing that rational cooperation between Iran and the international community would lead to major steps forward for stability and security in the Middle East.

Iran is an indispensable partner in helping to surmount Europe’s greatest challenge, the migration crisis, which has its origins in the Middle East, he said. The pressure of migration on Europe will only ease if conflicts in the Middle East are resolved, he added.

The deal between Iran and the international community on the nuclear issue rested on cooperation between the transatlantic community and Russia, demonstrating that multilateral diplomacy and rational cooperation are the basis for building the future, Szijjártó said.

Akbar Salehi said Hungary-Iran relations must be developed in the new period that started with Iran signing an international deal about nuclear programme control. He said his two-day visit in Hungary was a success and added that talks with Szijjártó focused on cooperation potentials in science and industry. He added that a Hungary-Iran mixed economic committee would be established within the next 1-2 months.

Photo: MTI

Source: http://mtva.hu/hu/hungary-matters