Tehran, Iran, May 29
By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend:
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif met with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in the European country.
"Iran knows no limits in expanding relations with Greece. Iran welcomes improving relations in energy, economy, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, trade, banking, science, and culture," Zarif stated, Mehr news agency reported May 29.
The Iranian foreign minister also called for drafting a memorandum of understanding to better lay out the prospects of future cooperation between Iran and Greece.
Tsipras for his part expressed pity that bilateral trade between the two countries has declined in the past few years and said that he is hopeful to make up for the decline.
After Western powers imposed sanctions on Iran claiming suspicion over the Islamic Republic's nuclear program, Iran's relations with other countries damaged greatly.
Iran is trying to improve its relations with Europe in order to gain an oil market there which it has lost due to international sanctions.
After sanctions were imposed on Iran, the country lost Greece as one of its main oil customers. Due to the sanctions, Greece has not been able to pay Iran back yet.
Tsipras said that resolving Iran's nuclear case will benefit all countries.
He also stated that the sanctions are unjust and opportunities for conducting relations with other countries must not be wasted.
Iran and the group 5+1 (the US, UK, France, Russia, China, and Germany) are in talks to strike a comprehensive deal on the nuclear program by June 30 which will also remove sanctions on Iran's economy.
Edited by CN
Follow the author on Twitter: @mehdisepahvand
