Iran FM urges trade balance with Brazil

The foreign minister said boosting economic cooperation will be necessary to deepen relations between the two countries, adding Tehran welcomes Brasilia’s investment in Iran’s oil, gas and transit sectors.

Zarif thanked the Brazilian government for extending support to Tehran’s right to peaceful nuclear energy, calling for continued political dialogue and exchange of views between the two countries.

Temer said Brazil is eager to expand ties with Iran and develop cooperation with the country in high-tech fields, calling for the exchange of delegations and closer contacts between the two countries. The president said Brazil has no problem with the expansion of Iran’s peaceful nuclear activities and it supports them.

The Brazilian president said there is possibility for closer cooperation in oil and gas fields, adding that exchanging political and economic delegations between the two countries will help deepen relations between them.

During his one-day stay in Brazil, Zarif held meetings with senior officials of the South American country, including his counterpart Aloysio Nunes Ferreira Filho, and signed economic agreements.

Apart from political meetings, Zarif attended a forum at Brazil’s Rio Branco Institute – a graduate school of international relations and diplomatic academy – and also gave a speech at a seminar of Iran-brazil bilateral trade held at Brazil’s National Confederation of Industry and attended by businesspeople and entrepreneurs from the two countries.

Zarif is heading a high-ranking political and economic delegation on a four-leg tour of African and Latin American countries that so far has taken him to Senegal, Brazil and Uruguay. On Wednesday, Zarif left Brazil for Uruguay. His last stop will be Namibia.

Tasnim and mfa.gov.ir contributed to this story.