In a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and his Italian counterpart Luigi Di Maio discussed the ways to boost the political and economic relations between the two countries and also the situation in Afghanistan.
Expressing satisfaction with the course of bilateral relations between Iran and Italy, Amirabdollahian said the 160-year history of bilateral ties shows their depth, noting that the new Iranian administration wants to establish the highest level of relations with Italy.
He also pointed to the ample capacities for cooperation between the two countries in various economic and commercial fields such as industry, agriculture, science, technology and tourism, stressing that Tehran and Rome must provide the basis for increasing the relationship between their businesspeople and private sectors through supporting the activities of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
The Iranian foreign minister also stated that some European countries have deprived themselves of the large Iranian market. He, however, expressed hope that the close cooperation between Iran and Italy would continue and expand in the future.
Amirabdollahian said the establishment of more direct flights and the operation of Italian airlines between the two countries can help facilitate relations, the Iranian Foreign Ministry’s website reported.
For his part, the Italian foreign minister described the relations between the two countries as very important, saying it is necessary to invigorate the ties.
Di Maio noted that his country seeks to regulate consultations with Iran, and suggested that joint projects be defined focusing on the cultural aspects of relations and the ancient civilizations of the two countries.
He also welcomed the idea of an increase in the number of flights between Iran and Italy and said the technical and commercial aspects of this issue must be examined.
Elsewhere in the meeting, the two foreign ministers discussed the latest developments in Afghanistan.
The Italian foreign minister thanked Iran for its efforts to help the remaining Italian nationals leave Afghanistan and announced Rome’s readiness to send aids for the vaccination of Afghan refugees and asylum seekers in Iran.
Di Maio finally noted that the Afghan crisis has far-reaching implications for the world, stressing the need for the continuation of consultations at various levels.