Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi believes encouraging private sectors to increase their contacts is the key to expansion of economic ties between Iran and Bulgaria.
Takht-Ravanchi made the remark in a meeting with Bulgarian Deputy Foreign Minister Valentin Poriazov on Sunday, who was in Tehran at the head of a political delegation.
Pointing to the potential for promoting relations in political, economic, cultural and parliamentary areas, the Iranian diplomat said, "Historical and cultural commonalties have laid the ground for developing mutual relations and using business opportunities to the benefit of the two nations."
Poriazov said Bulgaria has had a "long-lasting" relationship with Iran, pointing to the 120th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Tehran and Sofia which will be celebrated next year.
Voicing the Bulgarian government's desire for development of "wide-ranging" relations with the Islamic Republic, he said, "The Bulgarian foreign minister is to visit Iran soon, and we are ready to resume [the meetings of] the joint economic commission after a seven-year break."
The volume of trade between the two countries is set to double in 2015 since a year earlier, he said, adding that Bulgaria seeks a strong partnership with Iran. The Bulgarian official also presented a proposed action plan for improving relations in the next year.
