IRNA – Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif left Tehran for Norway Monday to participate in the 15th Annual International Retreat of Mediators and Peace Process Actors in Oslo Forum.

During the two-day trip, Zarif is to hold bilateral meetings with officials of other countries on regional and international issues.

He is also scheduled to hold talks with Norwegian officials over bilateral relations between Iran and Norway and on the latest developments of the region and the world.

The overarching theme of the 2017 retreat will be ‘peacemaking in a new era of geopolitics’.

According to Oslo Forum website, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, Former United States Secretary of State John Kerry, Former President of South Africa Thabo Mbeki, Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey D. Feltman and Foreign Ministers of Iran, Kenya, Indonesia, Sudan, Jordan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Finland and Croatia will attend the event.

The Oslo Forum was first held in 2003 and is now regarded as the leading international forum for, and network of, mediators and actors in peace processes. Alongside the annual global retreat held in Norway, the Oslo Forum Series also features regional retreats in Asia and Africa.

The informal and discreet nature of the gatherings – held behind closed doors – offers a unique opportunity to bring key experts and peacemakers together to engage in frank exchanges on often sensitive conflict issues. The retreats aim to improve international mediation practice by facilitating open exchanges and debates among mediators as well as providing informal networking opportunities and space for conflict parties to advance their negotiations. The Forum has contributed to improving understanding of peacemaking issues and mediation practice worldwide.

IRNA — Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said on Sunday that Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is to visit Norway on Monday to attend “Oslo Council”.

Officials and political figures from over 100 countries will attend Oslo Council to exchange views on most important global issues in order to find a suitable avenue to implement international peace, he said.

Zarif is to deliver a keynote speech in the conference and also will confer with Norwegian top officials as well as a number of foreign officials from other countries on issues of mutual interest and global developments, Qasemi said.

IRNA | AFP: Oslo Forum 2017 opened Tuesday with participation of officials from numerous countries and international organizations, including Iran’s Foreign Minister, the US former Secretary of State, Indonesia and Norway Ministers of Foreign Affairs.

IRNA — Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif left the Norwegian capital for Tehran in the early hours of Wednesday after wrapping up his two-day visit to Norway.

Zarif attended Oslo Forum and met several international and political figures in the Norwegian capital.

The Iranian foreign minister arrived in Oslo on Monday and in the first day of his visit he met with his Norwegian and Indonesian counterparts.

On Tuesday evening, Zarif met with EU Foreign Policy Chied Federica Mogherini at Oslo Grand Hotel. Zarif and Mogherini discussed the latest regional and international developments and also the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Zarif arrived in Norway’s capital, Oslo, on Monday to take part in Oslo Forum 2017 June 13-14.

Top Iranian diplomat also exchanged views on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini at Oslo Grand Hotel.

Two-day Oslo Forum was also attended by US former secretary of states John Kerry as well as number of foreign ministers from different countries.

IRNA – Director of Khazar Exploration and Production Company (KEPCO) for international affairs Ramin Khodafarin announced on Tuesday that in the past several weeks joint meetings were held with representatives from active companies in the fields of drilling and exploration of oil and gas from Russia, Norway and China in order to consider cooperation opportunity in developmental activities in Caspian Sea.

Over past years, Petroleum Ministry paid its main attention to develop oilfields in the Persian Gulf, but considering elimination of sanctions and facilitation of participation for foreign companies the ministry put development of oilfields in Caspian Sea on its agenda to absorb necessary financial resources and technologies for drilling in deep water.

Khodafarin also announced formation of investment committee in KEPCO and said that the committee is to absorb capital and technology to fulfill development plans in Caspian Sea.

IRNA – Foreign Minister Mohammad-Javad Zarif on Monday received ambassadors of Switzerland, Norway and Greece in Tehran to receive a copy of their credentials.

The three diplomats met with Zarif at the commencement of their ambassadorial mission.

IRNA | Abdollah Heidari: Foreign Minister Mohammad-Javad Zarif on Monday received Qatai envoy Ahmed Ali al-Sulaiti and ambassadors of Switzerland, Norway and Greece in Tehran to receive a copy of their credentials.

AP — Norway’s fishery minister has stepped down after harsh criticism for not informing the government of his private trips abroad to Iran and China.

Per Sandberg, 58, gave no reasons why he failed to tell his bosses about the trips in advance — a summer holiday in July to Iran with his Iranian-born girlfriend and a trip to China in May. In Norway, government members are required to report before going to another country on private trips.

After returning from Iran, his work phone was given to Norway’s domestic intelligence service to make sure it was not hacked. The PST agency considers Iran “a high risk country” when it comes to electronic surveillance.

He was replaced in the fisheries post Monday by Harald Tom Nesvik.

MNA – The Norwegian Embassy in Tehran said on Saturday that Norway has allocated over $700,000 to the relief operations to Iran’s flood-hit victims.

“The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has, through the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), earmarked NOK 6 million (equivalent to almost USD 710,000) to address the immediate and basic needs of those affected by the recent floods in Iran,” the embassy said in an Instagram post.

“Shortly after the devastating floods hit, NRC sent, in coordination with Iranian authorities, teams to provinces where the brunt of the destruction had occurred. Their assessment ensures NRC’s response reaches those most in need and will contribute towards Iran’s effort in alleviating the loss of livelihoods and infrastructure,” it added.

“The floods have driven communities from their homes and entire villages have washed away. Water has submersed and destroyed agricultural fields and infrastructures such as roads and bridges, leading to severe damage. This means that some populations are disconnected from essential services. Children need support to complete their school year because many education facilities have been destroyed or are unsafe to use. Clearly, recovery and reconstruction will need extensive longer-term support”, said Olivier Vandecasteele, NRC Iran’s Country Director.

Incessant springtime downpours began sweeping the country on March 19, with raging water torrents battering houses, washing away cars and killing over 70 people in several provinces.

The material losses caused by the water torrents have so far been estimated to be to the tune of 350 trillion rials ($2.5 billion), mainly to homes, farmlands, roads, bridges and power and water infrastructure.

Iran has received aid from neighboring countries and from further afield, including France, Germany, Russia, and some Persian Gulf states.

Tasnim – Iran’s Foreign Ministry welcomed high-level peace talks between Venezuela’s government and political opposition in Norway, hoping that the Latin American nation could revive its ailing economy in peace.

In a statement on Saturday, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi welcomed the initiative for peace talks between the Venezuelan government and opposition in Norway.

“We hope these talks would result in a political solution between the two sides and Venezuela could immediately improve the status of its economy and livelihood of its people in calmness,” he added.

The spokesman further warned against the destructive consequences of foreign interference in Venezuela’s internal affairs, adding, “The US has unfortunately given the people of Venezuela a collective punishment by blocking and plundering its financial assets.”

Mousavi urged the US government to abandon the policy of “economic terrorism” towards Venezuela and stop the “illegal behaviors that run counter to human rights norms” for the improvement of the Venezuelan nation’s conditions.

Reports of a meeting between representatives of the government of Venezuela and the opposition in Norway’s capital of Oslo first emerged on Thursday, as the two sides have been engaged in a power struggle since January.

Reports of the peace talks have been confirmed by Juan Jorge Valero, Venezuela’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva.

Opposition leader Juan Guaido said he had sent “some envoys” to Norway, but denied that talks had already been held with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s delegation.

Venezuela has plunged into political crisis after Guaido, the leader of the opposition-controlled National Assembly, declared himself interim president in January.

Shortly after Guaido took an oath swearing himself in before his supporters, US President Donald Trump recognized him as the country’s leader. In response, Venezuela’s President Maduro broke off diplomatic ties with the US and expelled American diplomats from his country.