According to the opinion piece published in the Guardian, Mogherini has been tasked by the EU foreign ministers with figuring out “ways in which the EU could actively promote a more cooperative regional framework” in light of the newly-reached deal.
“There is nothing more worrisome to Isis [ISIL] than cooperation between 'the west' and the Muslim world, for it defies the narrative of a clash of civilisations the group is trying to revive. An alliance of civilisations can be our most powerful weapon in the fight against terror,” Mogherini wrote.
She added that Iran’s cooperation with regional and world powers is a way to strengthen security in the Middle East as a whole.
“We need to restart political processes to end wars. We need to get all regional powers back to the negotiating table and stop the carnage. Cooperation between Iran, its neighbours and the whole international community could open unprecedented possibilities of peace for the region, starting from Syria, Yemen and Iraq,” Mogherini wrote.
The EU foreign policy chief added that an evolution in Iran’s relations with the West will take time, political will and even “audacity,” but expressed belief that the deal forged in Vienna signifies a “new chapter” in the nature of these relations and “a different future” for Iranians.
Earlier in July, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s challenges and threats department head, Ilya Rogachev, said that Russia is ready to strengthen its cooperation with Iran in countering terrorism, including against Islamic State.
ISIL controls large parts of Iraq and Syria, where it has introduced an extreme version of Sharia law. The group is known for committing human rights atrocities, including mass killings of minorities.