Zarif: Iran, Brazil have ample opportunities to broaden economic ties
Iran’s foreign minister highlighted the opportunities available for Tehran and Brasilia to broaden their bilateral economic relations, saying Iran supplied the South American country’s energy demands in the past and can now work with it in the oil and gas industry.
“Brazil is one of the world’s major economies, the main economy in Latin America, and also a BRICS member,” Mohammad Javad Zarif told reporters after arriving in Brazil early Tuesday from Senegal, Tasnim News Agency reported.
Hailing Iran’s economic interaction with Brazil, Zarif said the trade ties are mostly limited to the import of agricultural products from the Latin American nation, while there are ample opportunities available in the oil and gas industries.
Iran was a supplier of energy to Brazil in the past, and there are still possibilities for cooperation in that field, he added.
Praising Brazil’s technological advances, Zarif said the two countries could play complementary roles in that sector.
He also expressed the hope that his meetings in Brazil would enhance cooperation between the private sectors of the two countries.
Also on Tuesday, Zarif addressed a joint economic forum in Brazil.
Heading a ranking political and economic delegation, Zarif began his tour of Senegal, Namibia, Brazil and Uruguay on Sunday.
His entourage in the trip includes representatives of tens of companies and entrepreneurs in various fields from both the state-run and private sectors.
During his one-day stay in Senegal, Zarif held meetings with senior officials of the West African nation and attended an economic forum.
In a meeting with his Senegalese counterpart in Dakar on Monday, Zarif pointed to the leading role of Senegal in the Muslim world and the Non-aligned Movement, calling for closer ties in various fields, such as the oil and gas industry, medicine, health, and education.