(IRNA) - A member of the French National Assembly, Xazier de Roux, said here Tuesday that Iran's role in maintaining regional peace and stability was "unique and inevitable."
De Roux, who is also head of the Iran-France Parliamentary Friendship Group, made the remarks during a meeting with the chairman of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, Alaeddin Boroujerdi.
He described Tehran-Paris ties as "good and deep-rooted" and said he was currently in Iran to explore avenues for consolidation of relations, reports Trend.
He said that while there have been ups and downs in relations, France "has always been keen to expand ties with an important country like Iran."
The French MP lauded efforts taken by the two sides to bolster their political, economic and cultural cooperation, and said the parliaments of the two countries have played a pivotal role in this regard.
Asked to comment on the terrorist activities of the Mujahideen Khalq Organization (MKO) in France, he said the French government considers the MKO a terrorist organization and will not allow it to use French territory to carry out activities against Iran.
Boroujerdi, speaking of Iran's peaceful nuclear program, pointed out that "Article 4 of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) gives all countries, including Iran, the right to pursue peaceful nuclear knowhow and technology."
He reiterated that the Iranian nation will not succumb to pressure and intimidation with regard to its inalienable right to nuclear energy.
He said that the West, by giving in to US pressure, lost several opportunities for resolving differences with Iran with regard to the nuclear issue.
Stressing Iran's continued cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Majlis deputy said that Iran will never close the doors of negotiation and diplomacy to settle the issue.
He said diplomacy would be the most effective means of achieving a reasonable and practical solution to the problem.