Baku, Tehran discuss ways to expand cooperation
By Sara Rajabova
Azerbaijan`s first lady and Iran's vice-president sat for talks to discuss the development of bilateral relations between the two countries.
Mehriban Aliyeva met Iranian Vice-President for Women and Family Affairs Shahindokht Molaverdi on October 20.
Molaverdi visited Baku to attend the fifth Ministerial Conference on the Role of Women in the Development of the OIC Member States.
Aliyeva expressed hope that the fifth Ministerial Conference on the Role of Women in the Development of the OIC Member States would be a success. The first lady thanked Molaverdi for attending the event.
Noting that cooperation between Azerbaijan and Iran covers various fields, Aliyeva said the two countries` presidents met three times this year.
She stressed that the reciprocal visits and meetings contributed to further strengthening of relations between the two countries. The first lady expressed confidence that the international conference in Baku could play an important role in addressing the challenges facing women.
Iranian Vice-President Molaverdi thanked Azerbaijan for the invitation to the conference. Saying it is her first visit to Baku, she expressed hope that the conference would contribute to increasing women`s role in Islamic states.
The fifth Ministerial Conference on the Role of Women in the Development of the OIC Member States kicked off in Baku on October 20.
Azerbaijan and Iran have had diplomatic relations since 1918. Iran recognized Azerbaijan's independence in 1991, and diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in 1992.
Data from the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan shows that trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $281.03 million in 2013, which is 6.13 percent higher than 2012. The figure stood at $263.785 million in 2012.