TEHRAN (ecoideal)- Zimbabwean Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko voiced his country's willingness to expand all-out relations with Iran.
"We deem as paramount important expanding mutual cooperation between Harare and Tehran," Mphoko said in a meeting with Iranian Ambassador to Zimbabwe Ahmad Erfanian.
Erfanian, for his part, said that there are good grounds for fostering Tehran-Harare ties as the two have inked tens of documents on cooperation over past three decades.
In the related development, Erfanian met and conferred with the Zimbabwean Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development Joram Gumbo on ways to develop bilateral cooperation.
In the meeting, Erfanian referred to Zimbabwe as Iran’s close friend in Africa and Gumbo expressed readiness to cooperate with Iran in infrastructural, communications and transport fields.
In relevant remarks in mid-November, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Zimbabwean Deputy Foreign Minister Joey Bimha in a meeting in Tehran underlined the need for broadening of mutual cooperation.
During the meeting in the Iranian capital, Zarif and Bimha explored avenues for bolstering and reinvigorating of bilateral ties in different areas.
The Iranian foreign minister expressed the hope that Iran and Zimbabwe will make use of the existing capabilities to deepen mutual cooperation.
Zarif lauded Zimbabwe's anti-colonial policies, and said, "Iran is ready to share its experiences with the Zimbabweans."
The Zimbabwean deputy foreign minister, for his part, said that his country attaches importance to the expansion of cooperation with Iran and is to benefit from Iran's experiences and capabilities in various fields.
The two sides also exchanged views on various political and economic issues mainly in the field of agriculture.
Iran has striven hard to maximize relations with the African continent. The country is also an observing member of the African Union and has shown an active presence in previous AU summit meetings.
The country is considered as one of the AU's strategic partners along with India, Japan, China, several South American states and Turkey, while Tehran is also believed to be prioritizing promotion of its economic and political ties with the African states.
Source: Farsnews