“We make the year of 2016 the year of movement in developing and strengthening the joint relations [of Iran and Malaysia] in areas of economy, politics, science, and culture,” said President Hassan Rouhani of the Islamic Republic of Iran at the joint conference held late Friday with the Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, in the city of Putrajaya, the federal administrative centre of Malaysia.
The Iranian president who had arrived in Malaysia earlier in the morning told the media that both Iran and Malaysia share the determination to enhance relations to the level of pre-sanctions era in year 2011, before initiating efforts for duplicating the volume of reciprocal trade.
“Our relations with Asian countries, especially the Muslim and friendly country of Malaysia bear a highlighted significance in the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” reiterated Rouhani after voicing gratitude for the warm welcome and hospitality of the Malaysian government and nation.
Mr. Rouhani asserted that Iran and Malaysia have always held good ties and he voiced regret that anti-Iran sanctions affected the ties in the recent years; something that he reassured would be recovered after the agreements of the day being realized hoping for duplicating the volume of trade.
“We are eager to have Malaysians in Iran along with other foreigners who have flooded to invest in Iran after the JCPOA and the removal of sanctions,” contended the Iranian chief of executive branch, “the post-JCPOA ambience has created a good opportunity for Malaysians to invest in Iran and Iranians to invest in Malaysia.”
He then recounted the areas discussed in the meeting between the senior officials of the two countries highlighting that the two sides agreed to speed up the course of cooperation especially on the area of banking relations which is very important for the bilateral ties.
Rouhani also urged to inform the private sectors of both countries on the potentials of joint cooperation.
“Iran welcomes the investment of the Malaysian companies in Iranian industries of gas, oil, and petrochemicals,” underlined the Iranian president, “also Halal food industry is another area for running joint projects.”
He also invited the Malaysian side to initiate cooperation on academic and scientific areas, after touching upon the vast potentials of the two countries in high-tech endeavors. War on terrorism and extremism, and development of tourism industry were the other areas that President Rouhani recounted as discussed in the talks.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, for his part, said that President Rouhani's visit to Malaysia is timely, as it allows both countries to explore ways to further enhance economic ties, in spite of current obstacles.
He said removal of sanctions is the key to reach this objective and enable business transactions to take place within the banking system of both countries.
He announced Malaysia is ready, like what President Rouhani said, to double trade in the shortest possible time and to go beyond that in subsequent years.
The prime minister also stressed both countries talked about the need to cooperate at the international level in ensuring peace and stability in the Muslim world.
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