Following a bilateral meeting in Tehran on Saturday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and Speaker of Ethiopia’s House of Peoples’ Representatives Tagesse Chafo attended a joint press conference.

Qalibaf said Iran and Ethiopia have enjoyed more than 70 years of political and economic relations, describing Ethiopia as one of Africa’s most populous countries with close cultural and historical affinity to the Islamic world.

Given the long-standing ties and the fact that both countries are now members of the BRICS group, there is a clear need to further strengthen relations, Qalibaf stated.

He said the visit by his Ethiopian counterpart is aimed at expanding cooperation in political, economic, and cultural fields, as well as opening new avenues for engagement with Horn of Africa countries through maritime routes.

Qalibaf also highlighted the importance of enhancing parliamentary cooperation, including strengthening parliamentary friendship groups and laying the groundwork for a joint commission between the two countries.

The Iranian speaker noted that Tehran seeks to expand relations with the African countries while respecting their national sovereignty and territorial integrity, adding that there are significant opportunities for cooperation between Iran and Ethiopia in areas such as agriculture, knowledge-based industries, and energy.

For his part, Chafo said the relations between the two countries date back more than seven decades. He described his trip as the most significant visit at this level in decades.

Referring to Qalibaf’s visit to Ethiopia last year, the Ethiopian speaker said there is strong political will on both sides to expand parliamentary cooperation, which he said would help elevate bilateral relations between the two governments and nations. He noted that Iran and Ethiopia are both ancient civilizations and BRICS members.

Chafo described cooperation in parliamentary, political, and economic fields as important, saying the talks had helped lay the foundation for expanding bilateral relations and utilizing existing capacities in both countries.

He also stressed the importance of continuing such exchanges to deepen cooperation and information-sharing, and thanked Qalibaf for the invitation to visit Tehran.