Iran’s Top Diplomat Underscores Development of Ties with Jakarta

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in a meeting with his Indonesian counterpart Marty Natalegawa underlined Tehran’s enthusiasm for the further consolidation of relations and cooperation with Jakarta.
During the meeting in Jakarta on Thursday, the latest regional and international developments as well as expansion of bilateral cooperation were discussed by the two officials.

The nuclear deal reached between Iran and world powers was also among other issues reviewed in the meeting.

Natalegawa, for his part, voiced pleasure with Zarif’s visit, and called for bolstering of bilateral ties.

Iranian and Indonesian officials have on many occasions stressed their resolve to expand bilateral relations and mutual cooperation in different fields.

In relevant remarks in February, Head of Iran’s Chamber of Commerce Gholam-Hossein Shafeyee announced that Iran and Indonesia plan to launch a joint chamber of commerce in the near future.

“As per our agreement, the offices of Iran-Indonesia Joint Chamber of Commerce will be opened in both in Tehran and Jakarta soon,” Shafeyee said, addressing a meeting with Indonesian businessmen and industrialists.

He stressed that Iran and Indonesia should boost their mutual cooperation in regional and exports fields as well as their cooperation with the regional countries such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO).

Shafeyee called on Iran’s private sector to propose practical mechanisms to boost the volume of trade transactions between Iran and Indonesia.

“The value of trade transactions between Iran and Indonesia was merely $1.2 billion in 2011, but it should increase to above $5 billion in future,” Shafeyee said.