Expansion of Ties with Africa Sets Iran’s Policy

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki stressed Tehran’s policy for developing ties with African countries, and said that the Islamic Republic strives to utilize potentials on both sides to bolster mutual cooperation. According to a statement released by the Foreign Ministry’s Information and Press Bureau, Mottaki made the remarks in a meeting with his Ugandan counterpart Sam Kutesa on the sidelines of the 62nd Untied Nations General Assembly meeting in New York.

During the meeting, Mottaki noted Iran’s good relations with African states, and said boosting of mutual cooperation and expansion of bilateral relations with African countries set Tehran’s policy.

He further pointed to the recent flooding in Uganda, and expressed sympathy for that country’s government and nation as well as the bereaved families of the victims.

Elsewhere, the Iranian minister briefed his Ugandan counterpart about the latest developments in Iran’s cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

For his part, the Ugandan foreign minister welcomed expansion of cooperation with the Islamic Republic, and pointed out that the visit to Africa by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his participation in the African Union (AU) summit in Banjul has pushed Iran-Africa relations into a new era.

He further voiced his country’s full support for Iran’s legal right to make use of the nuclear energy, and meantime, stressed Kampala’s insistence on nuclear disarmament.

“We should have a world away from the threats of nuclear war,” Kutesa underscored.

To conclude his remarks, the Ugandan minister appreciated Iran’s sympathy for the victims of the recent flooding in his country.