President: Iran Favors To Conclude Comprehensive Agreement On Nuclear Dispute

Tehran, June 16, IRNA – President Hassan Rouhani on Sunday said Iran is willing to conclude Comprehensive Agreement to the nuclear dispute in line with the international law. The President made the remarks in his meeting with South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Maite Nkoana-Mashabane. The President thanked South African government for supporting Iran to resolve the decade-long nuclear dispute with the western governments. The President made clear that the arbitrary sanctions can no longer exist and that the western companies are currently drafting contracts with the Islamic Republic of iran to take effect very soon after lifting the sanctions. Rouhani explained that the western companies have been the main losers of the the unjust and arbitrary sanctions. Lauding special status of South African people among Iranians due to their anti-apartheid campaign, President Rouhani said after victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran one of the orders of the late Imam Khomeini was cutting ties with the then Apartheid government of the South Africa. ˈWe can use the good mental, psychological and cultural grounds between the two nations and expand relations in all spheres, particularly in the cultural and tourism spheres.ˈ He recalled late South African leader Nelson Mandelaˈs anti-apartheid campaign and said Mandela was man of both campaign and peace. Referring to common potential capacity of the two countries for economic cooperation, President Rouhani said the Iranian and South African governments and nations enjoy strong political will for expansion of mutual ties and cooperation in all political, cultural and economic spheres. The President called for mutual cooperation in the oil and mining domains, and said that for expansion of mutual ties, necessary grounds should be prepared for activities and cooperation of the two countriesˈ private sectors. He noted that there are good telectommunication cooperation between Iran and South Africa and thatˈs the issue the two countries can follow in the scientific and technological areas and link their private sectors for the purpose. He underlined the monetary, financial and banking areas for cooperation and said that economic ties serve as pre-requisite for upgrading relations, requiring to remove impediments and obstacles on the way. Rouhani said violence, extremism and terrorism is a big intricacy of the developing and world states and the Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to have close cooperation with South African in the regional and global issues. He noted that certainly, western states will in the future face many problems on the part of the terrorist groups. ˈTerrorism and extremism are the outcome of the policies of the western governments.ˈ President Rouhani expressed outrage at arbitrary massacre of innocent people and summary executions by terrorist and extremist groups and termed such murders as crimes against humanity. President Rouhani called for cooperation with the developing and south-south states. Mashabane for her part extended warm greetings of the South African president to President Rouhani. She thanked Iran on behalf of South African government and nation for supporting South Africaˈs anti-apartheid campaign. She said presence of high-ranking delegation in visit to Tehran indicates the firm determination of South African people and government to expand ties and cooperation with Iran. ˈThe fields of health, science and technology, medicine, agriculture technology development and railways along with the oil , energy and telecommunications are recommended for cooperation.ˈ She said that South African president Zuma will pay a visit to Iran in the context of holding joint economic cooperation commission. She voiced displeasure with unfair sanctions on Iran and said the sanctions have depressed South Africa and the entire region, bringing about new problems to which solution should be found by the international community. ˈSouth African government and nation support Iran-G5+1 nuclear talks and the good results thus gained.ˈ She emphasized dialogue among the developing and south-south states to eradicate extremism, terrorism and violence and said, ˈTo eliminate violence one should not rely on other states, rather, the developing states should take great strides themselves.ˈ/end