Iran eager to enhance ties with African states: Minister

The Iranian labor minister says Iran attaches special importance to the expansion of relations with African states and takes interest in boosting such ties.

During a meeting with President of the Republic of Congo Denis Sassou-Nguesso in Brazzaville on Sunday, Iran’s Minister of Cooperatives, Labor and Social Welfare Abdolreza Sheikholeslami expressed Tehran’s enthusiasm in broadening its ties with African states citing the ‘importance’ of African countries.

The Iranian minister also extended President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s invitation to the Congolese leader to take part in the forthcoming NAM summit in Tehran.

Sassou-Nguesso, for his part, stated that the Republic of Congo has great respect for Iran and called for the further promotion of Brazzaville-Tehran relations.

He also accepted the invitation to attend the upcoming conference of the member states of the Non-Aligned Movement in late August.

The 16th summit of the NAM member states will be held between August 26 and 31 in the Iranian capital.

Iran will assume the rotating presidency of the movement for three years during the Tehran summit.

NAM, an international organization with 120 member states and 17 observer countries, is considered as not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc.