Iranian FM confers with C. African FM

TEHRAN, April 17 (MNA) – Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki held talks with his Central African counterpart Antoine Gambi here on Thursday.

Mottaki pointed to the amicable ties between Iran and African states, saying the economic cooperation between Iran and African nations have increased during the recent years.

He went on to say that Iranian companies are running numerous projects in Africa today and the country’s goods are exported to African countries as well.

Iranian companies are also ready to implement different projects in central Africa, he added.

Gambi, for his part, pointed to different areas of cooperation between the two countries, stating that Central Africa welcomes cooperation with Iran’s different companies.

Also at a joint press conference, Mottaki said bilateral relations have nothing to do with other countries.

“Our relationship with the Central African Republic is not against any third party but at the same time we will not allow anyone to influence or interfere in our good relations with the country,” Mottaki said in response to the U.S. concern over Iran’s growing ties with African states.

Iran’s relations with other states “are based on mutual respect and interests,” he observed.

Asked about the country’s nuclear issue, he said Iran remains committed to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and that all nuclear weapons should be scrapped and all countries ought to sign the NPT.

Tehran strongly believes that if all nuclear weapons in the world are eradicated, more security would be created, Mottaki noted.