Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Iran and Italy need to plan for "long-term" and "balanced" economic ties "beyond normal levels."
Zarif made the remark in a meeting with his Italian counterpart Paolo Gentiloni and the accompanying delegation in Tehran on Tuesday, in which the two sides discussed bilateral relations and collaboration on regional and international issues, ISNA reported.
He called on western countries to make efforts in the new round of cooperation in the post-sanctions era to change Iranians' attitude toward the West, which has been negatively affected by the pressure campaign against Iran over the past years.
The two ministers referred to traditionally close relations between Iran and Italy and called for increased efforts to develop and diversify relations.
They described Tehran-Rome relations as "multifaceted", encompassing various political, economic, cultural and educational aspects, as well as other areas of mutual interest.
Zarif said Tehran's regional policy is geared toward enhancing relations with neighboring countries and regional states, calling for collective measures to help resolve crises and promote stability in the Middle East. "Instability, insecurity, terrorism and extremism undermine the interests of all countries in the region."
The Italian minster expressed his country's resolve to elevate the level of contacts with Iran and launch a new round of cooperation.
Gentiloni expressed hope that Iran's recent nuclear agreement with world powers would prove to be a successful model for the settlement of contentious issues. He also hoped bilateral collaboration with the Islamic Republic will help boost regional and international stability.
The two senior diplomats called for regular exchange of official visits at foreign minister level. They also underlined the need for increased exchange of parliamentary and judiciary delegations and greater cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking and organized crime, as well as collaboration in educational and cultural domains.
Gentiloni arrived in Tehran on Tuesday along with Italian Minister of Economic Development Federica Guidi and a group of high-ranking directors of Italian state-run and private companies.
After the Vienna nuclear deal reached with major powers on July 14, German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius and Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic have visited Iran to pave the way for better ties with Tehran.
