Iran, Mali Eye Closer Ties
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Diplomats from Iran and Mali in a meeting in Tehran voiced willingness for closer cooperation between the two Muslim countries.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for African and Middle Eastern Affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian held a meeting with head of Asia and Oceania department of Mali’s Foreign Ministry, Muhammad al-Amin Watara, in Tehran on Monday.
The Iranian diplomat called for practical steps to unleash Tehran and Bamako’s potential for closer cooperation.
Amir Abdollahian said the two Muslim nations need to join hands in the fight against terrorism, which he described as a common source of concern for the regional countries.
The African diplomat, for his part, praised Iran’s supports for Mali at different junctures.
Watara also expressed his country’s determination to enhance bilateral ties with Iran.
Iranian diplomatic authorities have already made it clear that the expansion of ties with the African countries is a high foreign policy priority for the Islamic Republic.