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South Korea tries to solace furious Iran

IRNA

Tehran, Nov 29, IRNA -- A South Korean official on Saturday tried to 
soothe Iran which is smarting from the stance taken by Seoul at the 
recent meeting held in Vienna to discuss Tehran`s nuclear energy 
program. 
First Deputy Foreign Minister Kim Je-sop told the Iranian Foreign 
Minister Kamal Kharrazi here that South Korea attaches great 
importance to expanding relations with the Islamic Republic in all 
areas. 
Kharrazi did not mince his words, saying, "The Islamic Republic 
will pay attention to balancing economic cooperation with political 
ties in its relations with other countries." 
Senior Iranian officials have already suggested reviewing 
relations with the countries which toed the line of the United States 
in demanding Tehran`s nuclear file to be referred to the UN Security 
Council. 
Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), Hassan 
Rowhani, told reporters Saturday that `the Islamic Republic will 
carefully examine this issue and will link the results of the 
examinations to important economic projects which will be implemented 
in the near future`. 
Korean companies are involved in several Iranian energy projects 
and are eying more oil and gas schemes. Kim said Seoul is ready to 
upgrade relations with Tehran on the basis of mutual respect. 
Kharrazi said, "Tehran and Seoul must think about a balanced and 
comprehensive expansion of their relations in the framework of the two
countries` lofty interests without being swayed by external impacts." 
The two officials also discussed developments in Iraq, with the 
Iranian foreign minister saying that `inattention to the demands of 
the Iraqi people and America`s wrong policies in Iraq have led to 
further tensions and instability`. 
"The Islamic Republic has always stressed that the genuine 
solution for the Iraqi crisis is to expedite the transfer of power to 
the Iraqi people by holding elections under the UN aegis and 
withdrawal of foreign occupiers," Kharrazi added. 
BH/AH/210 
End