TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in a meeting with Norwegian Ambassador to Tehran Odyssey Norheim cautioned Oslo of the negative consequences of expelling Iranian university students from Norway.


The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) has recently restricted the renewal and issuance of visa and resident permit for Iranian students and skilled workers apparently due to the sanctions against Iran.

"Norway will be harmed by the negative impacts that these expulsions leave on the public opinion in Iran and university circles, because Iranian university students are in that country for academic reasons," Zarif said during the meeting in Tehran on Monday evening.

Meantime, the Iranian top diplomat expressed the hope that the two countries' relations would further expand during Norheim's tenure in Iran.Norheim, for her part, expressed pleasure in her presence in Tehran as Norway's ambassador, and said, "I discussed the conditions of Iranian students prior to my departure from Norway and I am looking for a solution to this problem."

She also expressed the hope that certain measures would be taken so that no more Iranian student would face such problems in the future.

The new Norwegian envoy to Tehran also emphasized the significance of increased cooperation between Iran and Norway and the need for exchange of delegations in various levels between the two countries.

Earlier this month, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham said that the foreign ministry was seeking to resolve the visa problem of the Iranian students in Norway.

"As a result of the efforts made by the foreign ministry and the Iranian mission (in Oslo), the problems for the renewal and change of the visa of a number of Iranian students have been solved and the problem of others is expected to be settled by the Norwegian government's constructive measures," Afkham said.

She underlined that the situation of the Iranian students in Norway is being pursued seriously and precisely and the foreign ministry uses all its capacities to settle their problems.

"The issue will be pursued through the diplomatic and consulate channels with utmost preciseness," Afkham stressed.

The sanctions from the UN, US and EU contain no reference to the residence status of Iranian students in other countries.

Analysts believe that the UDI's recent actions do not reflect the tolerance, openness, anti-discriminatory and traditional Norwegian values that everybody has come to know and appreciate.

By Fars News Agency

 

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