Hungary's position on Iran has not changed: the international community should be given the chance to make sure that the Iranian nuclear programme serves peaceful purposes, the Hungarian Foreign Ministry stated on Thursday.

In response to a report by the Iranian state news agency Fars that Hungarian Ambassador Gyula Pethő said Hungary would be prepared to advance cooperation in all sectors, the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared in a statement that Hungary's ambassador made a courtesy call to the Iranian parliament, which the Iranian news agency covered "with its own interpretation."

Hungary maintains the position on Iran shared by the European Union and other Western countries. Hungary insists that Iran should observe all international conventions concerning the use of nuclear energy and all UN Security Council and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) resolutions pertaining to Iran, the ministry said.

It should be noted that Hungary, which now delegates one of the Vice-Chairmen to the Board of Governors, served as co-author to the resolution condemning Iran, issued by the Board of Governors of the IAEA in September. Hungary supports and fully implements the UN Security Council's sanctions against Iran.

Hungary supports diplomatic solutions to all problems and is therefore keeping "diplomatic channels" open, including diplomatic representation at ambassadorial level, the ministry said.
Hungary continues to maintain ties in areas unaffected by the sanctions, such as education and the trade of non-embargoed commodities, the ministry said.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs)