TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian in a meeting with Niger's visiting Mining and Industrial Development Minister Omar Hamidou Tchiana in the Iranian capital on Sunday said there are no limitations to the expansion of Tehran's friendly ties with the African states and called for the expansion of trade and economic relations between the two countries.

"Iran has no restriction for the expansion of economic and trade relations with the African countries, specially friendly and Muslim states like the Republic of Niger," Amir Abdollahian said.

The Iranian deputy foreign minister pointed to the two countries' cultural and historical commonalities, and said, "I rest assured that this visit can result in finding new areas for mutual cooperation."

Niger's minister, for his part, pointed to the status quo of Niger-Iran relations, and said, "We consider expansion of relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran as highly important and given Iran's industrial and mining advances, Niger is willing to share Iran's experiences in these fields."

Hamidou Tchiana at the head of a high-ranking delegation arrived in Tehran on Saturday to meet with senior Iranian officials and discuss bilateral ties.

In recent years, Iran has sought hard to boost ties and cooperation with Africa.

Iran is an observing member of the African Union (AU) and has shown an active presence in previous AU summit meetings.

In December, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called for widening cooperation with Africa

"Africa is of paramount importance in Iran's foreign policy," Zarif said in a meeting with visiting Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Mahboub Maalim in Tehran.

By Fars News Agency