According to Mehr News Agency, Aref made the comment while speaking at the 24th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Government Summit in Moscow, Russia, on Tuesday.
“Iran’s economic diplomacy is based on developing relations with neighboring and friendly countries and activating transit corridors for goods and passengers,” said the First Vice President. “The Islamic Republic of Iran believes that establishing and promoting economic and transit corridors is essential for promoting trade, securing supply chains, ensuring food security, reducing poverty, and promoting regional integration.”
“Iran is ready to cooperate in developing an independent and safe transportation corridor,” he said.
“Finally, I would like to reiterate that cooperation between Iran and the countries of South Africa is a long-term strategy to create a strong region through strengthening national sovereignty, facilitating transport and trade, promoting energy security, technological development, creating joint financial and banking infrastructure, and increasing people-to-people contacts,” Aref further stated.
I hope that the outcome of this conference will be another step towards strengthening mutual trust, sustainable development and integration between South African countries.
Elsewhere in his speech, Iran’s first vice president referred to the US and Israeli invasion of Iran’s nuclear facilities and the killing of hundreds of innocent people as a crime against humanity and a war crime.
“The attack on Iran’s peaceful nuclear facilities is a grave violation of international norms,” he added.
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