Iran says closer ties with African states a priority in its policy (UPDATE)
By Aynur Jafarova
Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said Sunday that expansion of relations with African countries is a priority in Iran's foreign policy, Press TV reported on Monday.
"Considering our affinity with this continent, we should place Africa among the priorities of our foreign policy and solemnly take measures in support of this continent," Salehi said in a meeting with Iranians residing in Ghana's capital, Accra.
Salehi said the African continent "has a high place in the world today", adding, "Africa has been awakened after years of oppression and powers' dominance".
The Iranian minister also called for "effective measures" to promote the ties between Iran and African countries, in particular, Ghana.
According to Salehi, Iran is committed to expand its relations with African countries including Ghana, and despite pressures, his country has made tangible progress in various fields of science, including the launch of satellites and development of peaceful nuclear energy.
Ghana's economic growth heralds a "bright future" for the country, he said.
Salehi, during his visit to the Islamic University of Ghana, said Ghana is pioneer of development in Africa and can be a model for other countries on this continent, IRNA news agency reported on Monday.
The Iranian top diplomat also visited the Iranian Cultural Center on Monday and got acquainted with its activities.
"Dissemination of religion and culture is a tough task and those who teach the Glorious Qur'an must have both decent behavior and great patience," Salehi said.
He emphasized the need for striving to observe decent ethical values 'if we propagate for Islam'.
During his Africa tour, Salehi also met with Benin's hign-ranking officials on Sunday.
In a meeting with Benin's Foreign Minister Nassirou Bako Arifari, Salehi noted that Benin as the current leader of the African Union (AU) can play a significant role in regional and global developments.
He also thanked Benin's president, who led a high ranking delegation to Tehran to attend the summit of Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) last September.
The two ministers also reviewed the latest developments on the African continent as well as the status of countries such as Mali and Central Africa.
The Beninese minister, for his part, described Salehi's visit to his country as a sign of willingness to bolster cooperation and unity between the two nations.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran as a regional powerhouse and Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) leader can help resolve regional disputes and also enhance the level of diplomatic ties with other countries," he said.
The Iranian foreign minister praised the enhanced relations between Tehran and Porto-Novo, and called for further expansion of cooperation between the two countries.
Republic of Ghana is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Ivory Coast to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south.
An official at Iran's Foreign Ministry told IRNA news agency that Salehi is also due to visit Cairo at the invitation of his Egyptian counterpart Mohamed Kamel Amr.
The official added that Salehi is planned to hold talks with Egyptian officials on international and regional issues including the latest developments in Syria and Palestine.
The two are also to confer on the issues of mutual interest, the official noted.
Salehi's upcoming Egypt visit will be his second trip to that country during Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi's tenure.
Salehi's Africa tour, which began Saturday, aims to expand Iran's relations with African countries. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's administration has tried hard to develop to the greatest extent Iran's relations with these countries in the last decade.
Iran is currently an observing member of the AU and has actively participated in the organization's summits.
The country is considered as one of the AU's strategic partners along with India, Japan, China, several South American states and Turkey. Tehran is also believed to be prioritizing promotion of its economic and political ties with the African states.