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There exists many opportunities to deepen relations and cooperation between South Africa and Iran. This was a shared view of the Speaker of the National Assembly Ms Baleka Mbete and Iranian Foreign Minister Dr Javan Zarif following their meeting this afternoon in the Iranian capital, Tehran.

The Speaker is currently on a 4-day visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran on the invitation of her counterpart, the Speaker of the Majlis (Parliament), Dr Ali Larijani, aimed at strengthening friendly bilateral relations and cooperation between the South African and Iranian Parliaments.

In his welcome remarks, Dr Zarif reassured the Speaker of his country’s continued commitment to strengthening existing economic and people to people relations between the two nations. The visit by President Jacob Zuma to Iran in 2016, added Dr Zarif, was significant to Tehran and it culminated in the signing of a large number of agreements, which both countries must jointly put effort to implement. He said the existing mutually beneficial economic relations can be further expanded by unlocking South Africa's banking sector for Iran. Currently, there exists no banking relations between the two countries.

Minister Zarif indicated that they were working on the planned visit by the President of Iran, Dr Hassan Rouhani, to South Africa to further enhance friendship and cooperation.

The Speaker expressed her optimism that given the significant progress already registered regarding partnerships in areas such as education, energy, health, investment, mining, transport, agriculture, science and technology, more can be fulfilled by the two countries. Parliament, she said, will play its role in overseeing the executive to ensure the continued implementation of all areas of agreement.

The two leaders also spoke with one voice regarding the need for cooperation to fight extremism and terrorism. The Speaker stressed that South Africa remains committed to work towards easing tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia as well as cooperatively working with Iran regarding the Palestinian situation.

Earlier, the Speaker met the Chairperson of the Women's Faction of the Majlis (Iranian Parliament), Ms Salahshouri, where they held a fruitful discussion and information sharing on issues of gender equality, legislative interventions pertaining to women empowerment and gender discrimination, and cooperation between women caucuses of both Parliaments.

The Speaker is concluding her official visit in Tehran with a meeting on Monday with the Governor of the Central Bank of Iran, Dr Valiollah Seif.

Issued by Parliament of the Republic of South Africa