Iran-South Korea ties can promote global peace: Rouhani

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says Iran and South Korea should enhance their cooperation to promote peace and stability in the Middle East and in East Asia.

In a meeting with the visiting South Korean Foreign Minister, Yun Byung-se, in Tehran on Saturday, Rouhani said that the two countries have always maintained cordial and growing relations.

“Iran as a country with great capabilities and a significant position in the region and South Korea as an important country in East Asia have considerable capacities to expand relations in all fields such as in economic, cultural and political arenas,” the Iranian president said.

He added that Tehran and Seoul should make use of the current condition to achieve progress.

He also noted that the two countries have the necessary potential to bolster cultural, economic, scientific and tourist cooperation.

Yun, for his part, said South Korea is interested in improving economic cooperation with Iran.

He added that giant South Korean companies are longing for the removal of sanctions against Tehran to boost their presence in Iran’s market.

The South Korean foreign minister arrived in Tehran on Saturday for the first official visit in 14 years.

Iran’s keenness to boost all-out ties with South Korea

Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Saturday Iran and South Korea have always had relations based on mutual respect and interests, expressing Tehran’s keenness to deepen all-out ties with Seoul.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran is willing to expand its cooperation [with South Korea] in all economic, political and parliamentary fields,” Zarif said in a meeting with the visiting South Korean foreign minister in Tehran.

He pointed to the nuclear agreement reached between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries in the Austrian capital of Vienna in mid-July and said the conclusion of the agreement proved that many conflicts can be settled through diplomacy.

He added that the nuclear agreement - known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) -can open new prospects for economic, trade and banking enterprises to help the realization of common goals of the two countries.

Zarif said the Iran-South Korea joint economic commission can prepare the ground for producing goods and making joint investment in the fields of energy, environment, banking, science and tourism.

“Tehran and Seoul have good opportunities to expand consultations in the fields of human rights and the fight against terrorism,” the Iranian foreign minister pointed out.

The South Korean minister, for his part, said his country is interested in the further promotion of relations with Iran.

He added that the conclusion of the nuclear agreement would contribute to the establishment of international peace and security.

South Korea looks forward to boosting trade and diplomatic relations with Iran, particularly after the conclusion of the JCPOA.

Under the JCPOA, limits will be put on Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for, among other things, the removal of all economic and financial bans against the Islamic Republic related to its nuclear program.

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