Iran, Algeria Stress Cooperation to Settle Regional Conflicts
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri and Algeria’s Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal in a meeting in Tehran discussed closer relations between the two Muslim countries, including cooperation in the fight against terrorism and settlement of regional disputes.
“We are witnessing distasteful incidents in Iraq, Syria and Yemen, and consultation with countries like Algeria that have taken logical stances towards those events can help resolve the ongoing crises in the region,” Jahangiri told Sellal, who is in Iran to attend the 3rd Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) Summit.
The Iranian official also expressed the hope that Tehran and Algiers would enhance trade ties following termination of the anti-Iran sanctions under a July nuclear deal between Tehran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany).
For his part, Sellal stressed the need for closer interaction with Iran on the Middle East developments with the aim of battling terrorism and extremism.
Highlighting Tehran and Algiers’ close stances on regional and international issues, he said that Algeria will take advantage of its “strategic relations” with African countries to boost the level of Iran’s cooperation with Africa.
Back in September, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif paid a visit to Algeria.
In a meeting with President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Zarif praised the Algerian government for its constructive stances toward regional conflicts, including the crises in Syria and Yemen.
“The role of Algeria, as a major government with principled and serious stances in the Middle East and North Africa and regarding the region’s crises, such as (crises in) Syria and Yemen, is very useful and constructive,” he said at the time.