Islamic Republic of Iran keen to expand ties with Africa

IRI’s Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi says Iran attaches great importance to the expansion of relations with African countries.

“The policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran is to expand relations with Africa,” Salehi said at a joint press conference with his Beninese counterpart Nassirou Arifari Bako on Saturday.

“Africa is an important continent; the future belongs to Africa,” Salehi added.

The Iranian Foreign Minister added that Iran and Benin are expected to sign a number of agreements and set up a joint economic and cultural commission.

Salehi stated that Africa has not yet made the maximum use of its potential, adding that Tehran seeks to double ties with African countries.

On the UN appointment of a human rights investigator for Iran, Salehi said that the Islamic Republic has had good cooperation with the UN Human Rights Council.

He pointed out that the US and certain Western countries make use of human rights as a political tool to exert pressure on Iran.

Salehi said that human rights conditions in Iran are satisfactory, adding that numerous instances of human rights violation by Western powers can be found.

In a move spearheaded by the United States, the UN Human Rights Council in June named former Maldivian Foreign Minister Ahmed Shaheed as its human rights investigator on the Islamic Republic.

Iran says the move is politically motivated, calling on international bodies to investigate the West’s human rights violations.