Catherine Ashton's office said the 28-nation bloc's top diplomat called Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif yesterday to congratulate him on his appointment.
Ashton says she and the nations negotiating with Iran on the nuclear issue - the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany - are looking forward to engage with Tehran's new negotiating team as soon as it is appointed to find a diplomatic solution.
The West fears that Iran's nuclear programme is aimed at making atomic weapons, and has imposed a series of sanctions. Iran insists it atomic program is for peaceful purposes only.