Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wraps up his official two-day trip to Thailand and sets off for New Zealand on the fifth leg of his Asia-Pacific tour.
During his stay in New Zealand, Zarif is scheduled to hold talks with the countrys prime minister, foreign minister and a number of other ministers and senior officials on ways to improve relations, particularly in trade and economic sectors.
He would also meet Iranian nationals residing in New Zealand and hold talks with the countrys private businesspeople.
The Iranian foreign minister is expected to deliver a speech at a conference organized by New Zealand Institute of International Affairs and address reporters.
Zarif paid a two-day visit to Thailand and participated in the 14th Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) Ministerial Meeting.
He also met with senior Thai officials, including Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai.
On Friday, Zarif sat down with Shamshad Akhtar, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="555"]
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (L) and Shamshad Akhtar, Under-Secretary-General of the UN and Executive Secretary of ESCAP, meet in Bangkok, Thailand, on March 11, 2016.[/caption]The Iranian minister started his six-nation tour on Sunday and paid visits to Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei and Thailand. He would visit Australia on the last leg of his tour.
On February 19, New Zealand lifted its sanctions against Iran following the implementation of Tehran'snuclear agreement with world powers, dubbed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
On January 16, Iran and the P5+1 group ofcountries -- the United States, France, Britain, Russia and China plus Germany -- started to implement the JCPOA which was reached between the two sides on July 14, 2015 following two and a half years of intensive talks.
After the JCPOA went into effect, all nuclear-related sanctions imposed on Iran by the European Union, the Security Council and the US were lifted. Iran, in return, has put some limitations on its nuclear activities.
By Press TV
