Those countries that sided with Iran during the sanctions era will have a special place after the lifting of the sanctions, and South Africa is among those countries, Amir Abdollahian said in a Sunday meeting with South African Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Hubert Jonas in Tehran.
The Iranian diplomat further praised the growing trend of bilateral relations between the two countries in recent months and said Iran sees no limits to the expansion of ties “with a country our people identify with the name of Nelson Mandela, a champion of peace and freedom.”
Jonas, for his part, emphasized that his country attaches great importance to its relations with Iran, saying that is why he is heading an economic delegation to Iran comprised of experts in finance, insurance, banking and investment to pave the way for closer economic cooperation between the two sides.
The South African deputy finance minister arrived in Tehran on Saturday for a two-day visit to hold talks with senior Iranian officials on ways to boost bilateral economic cooperation.
Last month, high-ranking officials from Iran and South Africa signed a cooperation agreement to deepen bilateral relations between the two countries in various political and economic areas.
The document was signed during the closing session of the 6th Iran-South Africa political commission co-chaired by Amir Abdollahian and visiting South African Deputy Foreign Minister Nomaindia Mfeketo in Tehran.