Algeria calls for expansion of ties with Iran

Algerian Prime Minister Addelmalek Sellal in a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in Algiers called for the broadening of mutual cooperation with Iran in different areas.

"We are determined to take wider strides for the development of bilateral ties under the new atmosphere created by the nuclear agreement," Sellal said during the meeting in the Algerian capital, according to Fars News Agency on Wednesday.

He, meantime, pointed to the nuclear agreement between Iran and the six world powers (the US, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany), and said, "Iran took effective measures in the nuclear talks and I congratulate the Iranian government and nation on this occasion."

Sellal pointed to the agreements of the Algeria-Iran Joint Commission, and said, "It is necessary to follow up these agreements in order to deepen the two countries' relations."

The Algerian prime minister also called for the further broadening of economic ties between Iran and Algeria.

Zarif, for his part, reiterated that the settlement of the nuclear issue provides room and opportunity for diplomacy, and said, "One of the results is that they cannot speak in the language of threat with independent and developing states, and they should, rather, use the language of respect and honor."

He also voiced Tehran's readiness for dialogue with the regional countries over the settlement of their problems, and added, "There needs to be dialogue among those countries which are beneficiaries of the regional issues."

He said helping advancement of dialogue among countries is a main focus of Iran's efforts.

Noting that Iran-Algeria relations deserve more development, Zarif expressed the hope that the Iran-Algeria joint economic cooperation commission would have yield more fruits.

The Iranian foreign minister left Tehran for a bi-nation tour of Tunisia and Algeria on Monday in the third round of his trips to the regional countries since the July nuclear agreement with the world powers.

Source: MENA