Cooperation With S. Africa to Increase

Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Jaberi Ansari, who is on a visit to South Africa, held talks with the host’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Maite Nkoana-Mashabane on Saturday to explore ways of strengthening bilateral relations. The meeting was focused on discussions to increase cooperation in economic, security, transport, banking, oil and transport sectors, IRNA reported. Ansari had met with his counterpart, Nomaindiya Mfeketo, on Thursday under the auspices of the Iran-South Africa Deputy Ministerial Working Group, which is part of the two countries’ joint commission and helps guide bilateral relations. Nkoana-Mashabane underscored the longstanding close bilateral ties and expressed her side’s readiness to convene the next meeting of the joint commission before an upcoming trip by Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani to Pretoria. The exact date of Rouhani’s trip has yet to be set. Ansari said it was agreed in his Thursday meeting that the joint commission meet biannually.