Following her Sunday meetings with Iranian officials including Foreign Minister Moammad Javad Zarif and Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani in Tehran, South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Maite Nkoana Mashabane met with President Rouhani earlier on Monday.
During the meeting and pointing to boosting relations between Tehran and Pretoria, President Rouhani offered Iran's willingness to raise current level of ties in various economic and business fields.
Highlighting the positive image of South African the Iranians bear in mind, Rouhani dubbed the Anti-apartheid reputation of South Africans a great launch pad for expansion of mutual horizons as their resistance had been supported by Iranians from very beginning.
Referring to the current status of under-developed and impoverished countries, Rouhani reiterated the two countries’ common understanding of poor people of the world and added that Iran and South Africa will defend the oppressed against the arrogant powers exploiting them, like the situation in Yemen where terrorism and violence is worsening the misery of defenseless women and children of the Arab country.
War-stricken countries deserve help, while bombarding the civilians is not any help to those who need medical and food aid, Dr. Rouhani added while elaborating on the pathetic condition of war ravaged people of countries like Yemen rapping the adoption of the military approach in dealing with the crisis which could bring about 'unwanted and harmful' outcomes.
Commenting on incontrovertible right of developing countries to gain access to technology and science, Rouhani condemned any act of threat or sanction to prevent Iranians from achieving scientific breakthroughs and called for dialogue instead of unlawful measures.
South African official, for her part, called for more economic and business cooperation with Iran and voiced hope for expansion of the ties between Pretoria and Tehran, describing as important the expansion of political and economic relations, saying the main objective of her trip to Tehran was to trigger a sensible and achievable growth in bilateral relations.
She also denounced the Saudi intervention in sovereignty of Yemen, killing people under the pretext of war on terrorism and added that Pretoria had initiated efforts aimed at mediating the conflict in Yemen.
Maite Nkoana Mashabane said on Monday that the crisis in Yemen has no other solution than a diplomatic one lashing out the use of force against the impoverished Arab country that could further destabilize the Middle East and instigate more chaos and insecurity in the world.
Your Comment