( IRNA ) - Visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki met with Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi and Foreign Minister Massimo d'Alema to discuss major regional and international developments.
Mottaki arrived in Rome Wednesday afternoon to discuss major bilateral and international issues including Iran's peaceful nuclear program with senior officials of Italy.
During his joint meeting with the Italian premier and foreign minister which lasted an hour, Mottaki stressed that Iran's peaceful nuclear energy program was "irreversible."
He added that all ambiguities or doubts over the peaceful nature of this program should be removed through diplomatic channels or transparent talks.
Referring to the security conference held Saturday in Baghdad, Iraq, to discuss ways of ending the violence and turmoil in that country, Mottaki said that the gathering showed that use of military force was not the solution to the country's security problem.
He said that opposing groups in the country should give preference to constructive political consultations as the most feasible way of solving the crisis in Iraq.
Referring to the effective role played by Rome in solving past regional problems, Mottaki said Tehran would support giving Italy a greater role in solving the crisis in Iraq.
Mottaki praised Rome for its "constructive" role in international efforts to solve problems relating to Iraq and the Iran nuclear issue.
The Italian premier, for his part, reiterated his support for Iran's legal right to use peaceful nuclear energy and expressed hope the current dispute would be solved through diplomacy or negotiation taking into account international law, rules and regulations.