MNA – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will set off on a trip to South Africa on June 12, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Ghasemi announced Monday night.


The Iranian top diplomat will head a high-ranking politico-economic delegation to Pretoria, the country’s administrative capital, early Tuesday to hold talks with senior South African officials on expansion of bilateral relations, according to the Foreign Ministry spokesman.

Zarif last visited South Africa in October 2017 to take part in the 13th gathering of the countries’ Joint Commission, as well as to hold meetings with the then host nation’s president, Jacob Zuma, and Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba.

South Africa and Iran enjoy close diplomatic relations based on shared values. Relations between the two countries were forged during the struggle against apartheid. In January 1994, diplomatic relations between South Africa and Iran were re-established.