Iran's new president Ebrahim Raisi calls for extensive ties with neighbours

Iran's newly-elected President Ebrahim Raisi has said establishing extensive interaction with the neighbouring countries constitutes one of his government's main foreign policy principles.

He made the remarks on Wednesday in a meeting with Nurdinjon Ismailov, speaker of the Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan.

"There are countless potentials for the development of relations between the two countries in different fields, especially economy," Raisi was quoted as saying by the Iranian Presidency's official website, Xinhua news agency reported.

For his part, Ismailov said that Uzbekistan seeks to develop and strengthen comprehensive relations with Iran, especially in the trade and economic sectors.

In the same day, Raisi also held meetings with envoys from other countries dispatched to Iran's capital Tehran to attend Raisi's inauguration ceremony on Thursday.

During his meeting with Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Hamad al-Busaidi, Raisi said that Iran aims to develop relations with Oman "in all political, economic, social and cultural fields."

For his part, al-Busaidi greeted Raisi's election, saying the "historical and deep-rooted relationship" between Oman and Iran has become "a model between countries in the region." The Omani envoy also expressed hope to have Raisi as a guest in Muscat "as soon as possible."

During another meeting with Mahmadtoir Zokirzoda, chairman of the Assembly of Representatives of Tajikistan, Raisi called for the development of ties between Iran, Tajikistan and Afghanistan as three Persian-speaking countries.

"The insecurity in Afghanistan today, which is rooted in foreign interference in the country, is not in anyone's interest. Iran and Tajikistan should have closer bilateral and international cooperation with each other to eliminate this common concern," Raisi noted.

For his part, Zokirzoda greeted Raisi on his election, and praised the potential for the development of Iran-Tajikistan ties, which he described as based on "common language, culture, history and civilisation."

The Iranian newly-elected president has set the enhancement of ties with neighbouring, Asian, Latin American, and non-Western countries as a priority of his foreign policy agenda.

--IANS

int/pgh