Serbian president now denies he criticized U.S. sanctions on Iran
“I did not mention any sanctions,” Aleksandar Vučić tells JI
Michael Brochstein/Sipa USA via AP Images
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic speaking at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee Policy Conference.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić is denying the Iranian government’s readout that claimed he had expressed opposition to U.S. sanctions on Tehran in a phone call with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani earlier this week. Jewish Insider first reported on the call on Thursday.
In a statement to Jewish Insider on Friday, Vučić said, “I did not mention any sanctions, thus neither the American sanctions against Iran. The conversation was about our bilateral relations.”
A readout of the call published by the Iranian government noted that Vučić “emphasized that Serbia has always opposed the imposition of sanctions and pressures on Iran, saying his country stands by the Iranian people.”
According to the readout from the Serbian president’s office, Vučić expressed his commitment to “developing bilateral cooperation, particularly the economic one, because it lags behind good political relations.” The statement read, “President Vučić pointed out that Serbia was truly grateful to Iran which shows its friendship by principled position on non-recognition of the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo, as well as by support for this issue, despite extensive pressures.” Vučić’s statement also said he “gladly accepted” Rouhani’s invitation to visit Tehran “once the circumstances make it possible.”