Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney is visiting Iran on Monday where it is expected he will discuss the Iran nuclear deal.
Mr Coveney said that the trip was important as one of the most significant roles allocated to Ireland on the United Nations Security Council was facilitator of Resolution 2231, which relates to the Iranian nuclear deal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
He said he would strongly encourage his Iranian counterparts to take part in the diplomatic process to restore the deal.
The JCPOA was agreed in 2005 between Iran and France, Germany, the UK, the USA, China and Russia. The US withdrew from the agreement in 2018 under president Donald Trump.
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However, the Biden administration has indicated it is willing to re-engage with the JCPOA, if Iran comes back into compliance with its terms.
Talks on the JCPOA have been taking place in Vienna since April 2021. Negotiations are focusing on what sanctions will be lifted from Iran, if they agree to limit their nuclear programme.
When Ireland became a UN Security Council member last year, it was made the facilitator of Resolution 2231, a role which was created in 2015 which aimed to endorse the Iranian nuclear deal.
As part of this role, Ireland updates the Council on any progress made in relation to implementing the deal, as well as encouraging parties of the JCPOA to return to full compliance with the agreement.
“Over the past year, I have engaged extensively with all the key actors to encourage a return to full implementation of the agreement,” said Mr Coveney.
He said the Vienna talks on restoring the deal have reached an extremely important stage, and the choices made over the coming weeks will have “profound implications” for the region and for international peace and stability.
“Iran’s continued advances in its nuclear programme, and reduction in co-operation with international inspectors have caused grave concern in the region and beyond, and I will be raising these concerns with my counterparts,” he said.
The Minister said he would strongly encourage his Iranian interlocutors to work towards an agreement that will benefit their own economy, which could bring stability and prosperity across the Middle East.
“As well as the nuclear agreement, our discussions will also focus on other key issues in the Middle East, many of which feature on the agenda of the Security Council,” he said.
In August of last year, Ireland re-established a Diplomatic Mission in Tehran, which is co-located with the German embassy. The Irish Government has also committed to re-establishing an Irish Embassy in Tehran by 2023.