TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian Ambassador to Algeria Reza Ameri and Algerian Culture Minister Azzedine Mihoubi in a meeting in Algiers on Saturday called for broadening cultural relations between the two countries.

During the meeting in the Algerian capital today, Ameri and Mihoubi explored avenues for bolstering and reinvigorating mutual cooperation, specially in cultural fields.

The Iranian ambassador pointed to the cultural and social commonalities of the two countries, and said, "The Islamic Republic of Iran is willing to further expand cultural relations with Algeria and reinforce cooperation in scientific and artistic fields as well as holding exhibitions� ."

Ameri, meantime, voiced Iran's readiness to hold its cultural week in Algeria in October.

Mihoubi, for his part, said that his country attaches paramount importance to expansion of relations with Iran.

The Algerian culture minister called for mutual cooperation with Iran in cinema productions and preserving Algeria's artworks and manuscripts, some of which are in the Persian language.

Mihoubi, meantime, welcomed holding Iran's Cultural Week in Algeria as a significant step to introduce Iranian culture to the Muslim nations, particularly, to the Algerians.

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 November, Ameri and Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra stressed the need for both Tehran and Algiers to do their best to promote bilateral ties in all sectors.

Speaking in a meeting, the top Algerian diplomat called for consolidation of mutual cooperation in all fields.

He underlined the necessity of exchanging high-ranking delegations between the two countries for widening and deepening of relations.

Ameri, for his part, called on the Algerian government to remove a number of official barriers in the way of expansion of interactions, specially in economic sector.

By Fars News Agency