Croatian Ex-president Calls For Expanding Ties With Iran

Sari, Mazandaran prov, Sept 9, IRNA – Former president of Croatia Stjepan Mesic on Monday said that his country attaches special significance to promotion of relations with Iran. Mesic said that bilateral relations will expand as soon as the Western sanctions on Iran are lifted. As Zagreb joins the EU, it has no intention to cut ties with Tehran, rather it is keen on promotion of cooperation with Iran in all areas, he said. On unfair Western sanctions against Iran he said that dialog is the only way to settle the current dispute and Iran has to persuade the international community that its nuclear activities are lawful and transparent. He expressed hope that the Iranian new president will build better relations with the world. Mesic is in Iran to attend the inauguration ceremony of a cigarette production project jointly invested by Iran and Croatia in the northern city of Sari./end