IRNA- Iran�s official news agency, Islamic Republic New Agency (IRNA) eyes media cooperation with official Ecuador news portals in a bid to display real picture of the two countries to the world.

IRNA Director General Seyed Zia Hashemi and Ecuador Ambassador to Ir�n Germ�n Alejandro Ortega Almeida agreed that the Iranian official news agency and a national Ecuadorian news portal sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in near future.

�Like Iran, Ecuador is also sensitive about its independence and national sovereignty. That�s why the two countries have similar positions in the UN,� Germ�n Ortea said in a meeting with Zia Hashemi in Tehran on Thursday.

The ambassador called for the Iranian and Ecuadorian media corporations to expand their cooperation, expressing regret that �occidental news agencies don�t paint a good and realistic picture of Iran�.

�The world needs to get to know the ancient, historical and civilized culture of Iran,� added Ortega, describing Tehran-Quito relations �excellent�.

IRNA�s director general also called for joint cooperation between �independent media� in a bid to show a more exact and correct picture of the world countries.

�IRNA is ready for cooperation with the world�s independent media to confront propaganda of the West and the US media,� Hashemi said, noting that the agency will celebrate its 85th foundation as one of the oldest media outlets in the world and Asia.

�Iran and Ecuador need to use their media capacities to help develop comprehensive relations, get to know their respective nations and introduce the culture, economic, trade and touristic potentials of each other,� he reiterated.

He also called on the world media to portray a fair picture and reality of Iran and the region without resorting to manipulation of the facts.