Defense Minister Hossein Dehqan hailed South Africa for sharing common stances with Iran on global issues, stressing that the two countries can effectively tackle terrorism and organized crime with concerted action.
“Given the great potential for cooperation in all fields, particularly their common views on nearly all major regional and international issues, Iran and South Africa can play a more active role in helping resolve regional security crises and in the fight against terrorism and organized crime,” Dehqan said in a meeting with his South African counterpart, Nosiviwe Noluthando Mapisa-Nqakula, in Pretoria on Tuesday, Tasnim News Agency reported.
Dehqan underlined that closer interaction between friendly countries will contribute to settlement of conflicts and help states ensure security and welfare for their people.
The South African defense minister expressed gratitude to Iran for its support for South Africa during the hard times of apartheid.
She noted that implementation of a newly-signed memorandum of understanding in the military field will give a big boost to bilateral relations.
Earlier in the day, the two ministers signed an MoU on expansion of military and defensive cooperation.
