Iran, Bangladesh Move to Broaden Ties
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian and Bangladeshi officials agreed on plans to promote political, economic and cultural cooperation between the two Asian states.
Heading a delegation, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Ali Baqeri has traveled to Dhaka to weigh plans for the expansion of relations with the South Asian nation.
In a Thursday meeting with Bangladeshi State Minister of Foreign Relations Shahriar Alam, the two diplomats stressed the need for cooperation between the two countries in international and regional bodies, such as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Inter-Parliamentary Union of Islamic Countries.
Baqeri and Alam emphasized that closer cooperation between the Economic Cooperation Organization and South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) would be an efficient framework for boosting regional and economic cooperation.
In another meeting, with Chair of Bangladeshi Parliament’s Permanent Committee of Foreign Affairs Muhammad Faruk Khan, Baqeri underlined the need to exchange parliamentary delegations in order to strengthen interaction between the legislative bodies of Iran and Bangladesh.
During his stay in Dhaka, Baqeri also held talks with Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh Masoud Bin Momin on ways to expand political, economic and cultural cooperation between the two countries.
In the meeting, also attended by the representatives of the Bangladeshi economic bodies, the two sides underlined the need to form a joint economic commission.
Moreover, they emphasized that the trade delegations of Iran and Bangladesh, including the delegations of the Chambers of Commerce, Industries and Mines, should increase trade interactions.
In the gathering, the two sides also discussed regional and international issues, the Foreign Ministry’s website reported.
The Iranian deputy minister pointed to the priority of human rights in Iran’s foreign policy, saying the powers that have trampled on the rights of the oppressed Palestinian people for decades and have been supporting occupation and aggression by the Zionist regime are in no position to speak about human rights.
Baqeri pointed to the historical, civilization and cultural bonds between Iran and Bangladesh, saying stronger ties require extensive interaction between the governments of Iran and Bangladesh in various fields.
