Iran Keen On Enhanced Ties With Neighboring, Muslim States

Tehran, Oct 27, IRNA – Deputy Foreign Minister Morteza Sarmadi said on Saturday that Iranian government wants to expand relations with the neighboring and Muslim countries. Speaking to the UAE Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Tariq Ahmad al-Heidan in Tehran, Sarmadi said there are many opportunities and capacities available for developing Iran-UAE cooperation which should be used. He hoped that with formation of the joint high commission, bilateral relations would further expand in the near future. As for problems facing Iranian nationals in the UAE, he said Iran welcomes recent gestures of the UAE government in that connection, hoping that the problems of Iranian expatriates living in the United Arab Emirates would be settled. The UAE official, who is in Tehran to take part in the 8th joint consular commission, underlined his country’s political will to expand mutual cooperation. Al-Heidan termed Iran-UAE relations “brotherly and historical” and said one of the achievements of the relations is formation of the joint consular commission. The UAE deputy foreign minister said that since last August when President Rouhani took office, we have been witnessing expansion of Iran’s important regional role. He expressed pleasure with expansion of Iran’s relations with regional and neighboring states./end