Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE newly elected Iranian President, Ebrahim Raisi has called for a continued cooperation between Tanzania and the Islamic Republic of Iran on promoting bilateral and regional interactions.
President Raisi made the appeal on Friday after a meeting with the Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr Job Ndugai and Zanzibar House of Representative Speaker, Mr Zubeir Ali Maulid.
During the meeting with the two Speakers, the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran described the bilateral relations with the countries as friendly and favorable.
“With regard to the good potentials and also the deep and historical closeness of our nations, especially with the Shirazi people of Zanzibar, we must improve the level of relations and cooperation,” the President said.
President Ebrahim Raisi expressed hope that Iran’s parliamentary relations with Zanzibar and Tanzania would improve bilateral and regional interactions of both sides, especially in the economic field.
In this meeting, Mr Ndugai and Mr Maulid conveyed the congratulatory message of their respective presidents to Ayatollah Raisi, referring to the history of Shirazis in Zanzibar.
They said that during the days of Tanzania and Zanzibar independence, one of the active parties was the African Party of Shiraz, which made effective efforts to make the country independent.
The speakers of Tanzania and Zanzibar parliaments expressed hope that in the new era, bilateral relations and interactions will develop, especially in the economic field between their country and Iran.
When meeting with the Speaker of the National Assembly of Guinea-Bissau, Cipriano Cassamá, who also participated in Raisi’s inauguration as Iran’s new president held on Thursday, the President stressed the need to further activate all capacities for boosting cooperation with the African continent.
Raisi further emphasized the priority of developing relations with the African continent in the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran and said in the new government, all capacities for cooperation with African countries will be seriously activated.
He also pointed to the valuable material and manpower capacity African countries have and said that Tehran is willing to pursue a policy of developing comprehensive relations with African countries to serve their mutual interest.
President Raisi further pointed out that westerners mainly seek to exploit the resources and reserves of the African continent, and in return not only do not contribute to the development and welfare of its people, but instead pursue the policy of backwardness of African countries while Iran is a friend of the continent.
President Raisi was sworn in as Iran’s eighth president and pledged to make Iran stronger and engage with the world.
He also promised to pursue “diplomacy and constructive and extensive engagement with the world”, reiterating his stance that boosting relations with regional neighbours will be at the top of his foreign policy.
