Publish Date: 5 November 2016 - 16:19

TEHRAN, Nov. 05 (MNA) – Iranian Deputy FM Ebrahim Rahimpour held talks with senior political and economic officials of the Philippines for expanding bilateral relations in both fields.

Ebrahim Rahimpour, Deputy Foreign Minister for Asia-Pacific Affairs arrived in Manila on Friday for a two-day visit focused on economic and political consultations in the form of annual meetings of the Joint Committee between the two countries’ deputy FMs.

During his visit, Rahimpour held separate meetings with his Filipino counterpart, ministers of foreign affairs and finance, officials of Philippine’s Central Bank, and the deputy head of Philippine’s Energy Organization.

In his meeting with Foreign Minister Perfecto Yasay, Jr., the Iranian diplomat expressed his congratulations over the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte, and expressed hope that the new conditions would provide the two countries with good opportunities for expediting the development of bilateral relations.

The Filipino foreign minister, for his part, voiced his support for expansion of cooperation with Iran, and expressed hope for making a trip to Tehran as soon as possible.

Rahimpour also held talks with his Filipino counterpart where the two sides conferred on various ways to expand political and economic relations, as well as regional and international developments.

During the meeting, Rahimpour extended an invitation to his counterpart for a visit to Tehran aimed at holding the next round of negotiations between the two countries’ deputy FMs.

The Iranian diplomat also met on Saturday with Secretary of Finance, Carlos Dominguez, as well as officials of the country’s Central Bank, where the two sides highlighted the need for bolstering economic ties and removing obstacles to trade transactions.

Rahimpour who arrived in the Philippines as part of a regional tour will leave Manila for Canberra in Australia Saturday afternoon and then depart for Wellington in New Zealand.  

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