IRNA � Bulgaria supports the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which is a key element for peace and non-proliferation in the Middle East , said a senior Bulgarian official on Thursday, referring to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

'Bulgaria attaches high significance to expansion of relations with a country (Iran), which plays an important role in the Middle East in terms of culture and civilization,' Secretary for Foreign Policy of the President of Bulgaria Dimitar Arnaudof told visiting Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for political affairs Abbas Araqchi.

Arnaudof expressed hope that political consultations between Iranian and Bulgarian officials would lead to further expansion of political, economic and cultural relations.

Araqchi headed Tehran for Austria, Slovakia and Bulgaria on Monday to hold consultations with officials of the three countries.

Sofia is the third leg of Araqchi�s visit to three European.

First, he travelled to Austria on January 28 and met with top Austrian officials and Yukiya Amano, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) which has its headquarters in Vienna.

Then, Araqchi left for Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, where he negotiated with the country's officials on the special purpose vehicle (SPV), an EU mechanism expected to facilitate Iran's global trade in the face of US unilateral sanctions.