Publish Date: 1 May 2019 - 09:05

TEHRAN, May 01 (MNA) – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif arrived in Doha, Qatar, last night to attend the 16th Foreign Ministers' Meeting of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue.

After arrival in Doha, Foreign Minister Zarif attended a luncheon hosted by Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

The Asia Cooperation Dialogue was established as an intergovernmental forum in 2002 to develop cooperation between Asian countries and improve the competitiveness of Asia at the global level.

The body was founded by 18 states back in 2002 , but now it consists of 34 Asian countries, namely Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.

The 16th ministerial meeting of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) kicked off yesterday and will wrap up on May 2.

MAH/4605062/IRN83298495