Iran's Foreign Minister Arrives In Finland For High-Level Talks On Middle East - Reports

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has arrived in the Finnish capital of Helsinki to hold high-level talks aimed at finding ways to mitigate tensions in the Middle East, local media reported on Monday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th August, 2019) Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has arrived in the Finnish capital of Helsinki to hold high-level talks aimed at finding ways to mitigate tensions in the middle East, local media reported on Monday.

Finland is the first node of Zarif's three-city tour to Scandinavian countries. During the Helsinki visit, the Iranian foreign minister is expected to meet with his Finnish counterpart, Pekka Haavisto, as well as with President Sauli Niinisto and Foreign Trade Minister Ville Skinnari. Zarif will then travel to Sweden and Norway.

"Finland, Sweden, and Norway are all active in our regional issues; Sweden was responsible for the first Yemen summit, and Norway seeks to organize a summit on Afghanistan. So, it is necessary to hold dialogue with these countries on regional issues as well," Zarif was quoted as saying by the Mehr news agency.

Finland, in particular, has previously put forward an initiative for dialogue in the Persian Gulf which, according to the reports, Zarif said was similar to the one proposed by Iran.

"A few years ago, I came here to Helsinki, and proposed an initiative for a regional dialogue forum in the Persian Gulf, and the Finnish have always been interested in these issues," the Iranian minister said.

He added that such consultations are especially important ahead of the UN General Assembly in New York in September and that he planned to visit several Asian states for talks after Scandinavia.

Tensions have escalated in the Persian Gulf over the past several months, especially around the standoff between Iran and the United States. A series of attacks on tankers in the Gulf of Oman and Hormuz Strait have worsened the situation, with Washington and its allies placing the blame on Iran. Tehran has refuted all accusations.

Earlier this month, the United States invited Australia, France, Germany, Japan, Norway, South Korea and the United Kingdom, among others, to join a coalition that would strive to ensure maritime security in the strategic pathways of the Gulf.