Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira held talks with President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in Tehran on Sunday to explore ways of boosting economic cooperation.
Vieira's visit marks the launch of a serious drive to inject new vitality into relations, President Hassan Rouhani said.
"Iran-Brazil ties have always been friendly and based on mutual interest," Rouhani said in his meeting with the top Brazilian diplomat.
"The trip can be a starting point for greater vitality in bilateral relations."
Pointing to the influx of economic delegations from various countries into Iran to identify and exploit potential areas for business and investment in the wake of the recent nuclear deal with major powers, the president said there is no barrier to expansion of ties between the two countries and Brazil can seize the opportunity to get more involved in the untapped Iranian market.
Having received an official invitation from his Brazilian counterpart Dilma Rousseff, Rouhani said he would travel to Brasilia in "due time".
He referred to the July 14 nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany), saying, "(The deal) was not the end, but rather the beginning of a path to creating a friendlier atmosphere and building closer cooperation with various countries."
Vieira said his country seeks "closer and stronger" relations with the Islamic Republic "because the two countries have the potential to play a complementary role in the economic domain."
Highlighting the two sides' shared interests, he said, "Brazil has always lent support to the idea of Tehran's involvement in regional and international developments… because Iran has always played an effective role in helping promote harmony and stability in the region."
Driving Force
In the talks with his Brazilian counterpart, Zarif underlined the effort to improve bilateral economic relations, saying, "Trade and investment will act as the driving force for the new era of cooperation between Tehran and Brasilia."
After the meeting the two diplomats attended a press conference, where Zarif outlined the prospect of economic cooperation.
It was agreed that delegations from the two sides would exchange visits, Zarif announced. He said Tehran will be hosting a group of businesses headed by Brazilian Minister of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade Armando Monteiro in the coming weeks.
A joint commission is planned to be established co-chaired by Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance Ali Tayyebnia, who will travel to the South American country, Zarif added.
