[caption id="attachment_149084" align="alignright" width="196"] Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.[/caption]

Tehran, Feb 24, IRNA – A senior Iranian diplomat said here on Tuesday that the Republic of South Africa is a gateway to the market of the Southern Africa region.

Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian made the remarks in a meeting with visiting Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of South Africa Bheki Cele.


He also urged South Africa to look at Iran as a gateway to the markets of Central Asia, the Caucasus and Russia.

Cele, for his part, called for expansion of South Africa-Iran cooperation in the fields of agriculture, forestry and fisheries.

Iran has a relatively significant presence in agricultural and economic projects in some African countries and has been a major contributor to humanitarian missions in the continent over the past years.

The intensified diplomacy on Africa is a sign of Iran’s willingness to engage deeper in African political and economic equations, a move that can bolster the country’s foothold in the region significantly.

By IRNA