Rouhani to visit South Africa

The seventh meeting of Iran-South Africa’s Joint Political Committee was first held between Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab-African Affairs, Hossein Jaberi Ansari, and South African Deputy FM Nomaindiya Mfeketo for two hours during which the two sides conferred on ways to expand bilateral relations, and exchanged views on regional and international issues, particularly the Syrian crisis and its possible solutions.

The meeting was followed up by the attendance of members of the two countries’ delegations where past agreements and their implementation process were reviewed. The two sides further stressed the holding of regular joint political committee’s meetings every six month as a mechanism for pursuing relations and cooperation between Tehran and Pretoria.

Other topics discussed during the session included expansion of banking and oil cooperation, formation of joint technical and economic working groups between the two countries, cooperation at international communities and organizations, as well as security cooperation and fight against terrorism and extremism.

The seventh session of the follow-up committee resulted in a number of achievements including a short-term roadmap and determining relations priorities for the next year, a preliminary agreement on the approximate date of the Iranian President’s visit to South Africa as well as the tentative date for holding the new round of Joint Economic Commission’s meeting.

South African President Jacob Zuma, heading a 180-member politico-economic delegation, visited Iran this April, to discuss ways to strengthen relations between the two countries. The visit took place for the first time after Iran and the 5+1 group of countries started implementing Iran's nuclear agreement on January 16.

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