The week that was: solidarity in Paris, EU foreign policy in Dublin and Strasbourg, meeting Turkish Prime Minister and Iran Foreign Minister

This week, the entire EU has stood side by side with France after the attacks in Paris.

High Representative / Vice President Federica Mogherini i travelled to Paris on Sunday to join the #‎MarcheRepublicaine‬ ‪#‎JeSuisCharlie. The next day, during her visit to Dublin where she attended the Irish Ambassadors conference and met with the Foreign Minister and Defence Minister and civil society, in the presence of Mary Robinson i, she took the opportunity to highlight that "What unites us in Europe is above all the commitment to the same fundamental values and freedoms. We share this commitment with partners around the globe […] We are not facing a fight between Islam and Europe, or the West. We are facing a terrorist threat against everyone. Christians, Jews, Muslims and people that have no religious affiliation. And we are facing this fight all together."

From Tuesday to Thursday, she attended to European parliamentary affairs on foreign policy in Strasbourg. In the Plenary, she reiterated her message of unity and solidarity in the wake of the Paris attacks and outlined upcoming EU foreign policy priorities. She also expressed concerns and discussed possible solutions for the crisis in ‪Libya and led a debate on the Ukraine crisis. She also took the opportunity meet with a delegation of the European Jewish Congress.

Her week concluded with a joint meeting with Commission President Juncker and Turkish Prime Minister Davutoglu, as well as a discussion with Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif.

Prime Minister Davutoglu emphasised the importance of regular contacts between Turkish leaders and Presidents Tusk, Juncker and Schultz, to fully reflect the strategic importance of the EU-Turkey relationship and the two sides' common interests.

The two sides addressed questions relating to the rule of law, freedom of expression and respect of beliefs. In light of the Paris terrorist attacks, both sides reaffirmed their determination to defend these values, including freedom of thought, expression and of the media.

With Minister Zarif, the HRVP discussed the Iranian nuclear talks and agreed that time cannot be wasted in view of an agreement.

"We affirmed our strong commitment to a diplomatic solution which would fully address international concerns about the exclusively peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear issue. Negotiations have to be brought to a conclusion in line with the agreed time", said Mogherini.

The High Representative and the Iranian Foreign minister also discussed a wide range of topics, from human rights to the major regional crisis in the Middle East, such as in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and the common threat posed by Da'esh.

They also talked about regional dynamics. The HRVP emphasized that "the relationship between Iran and other countries of the region is crucial for regional stability. The EU feels the current security situation in the region has created an urgent need for regional powers to consult and co-operate, defuse sectarian tensions and address the root causes of the rise of Da'esh and the crises in Syria and Iraq".

She encouraged Iran to use its considerable influence to help create a more inclusive and stable Iraq, which is in both the EU's and Iran's interests, but also to contribute to a political solution to the Syrian crisis by supporting United Nations Special Envoy for the Syria crisis Staffan de Mistura.