Tehran, Iran, November 29
By Mehdi Sepahvand -- Trend:
Iran and Greece are going to discuss a long array of economic relations issues, including banking, oil, industry, transportation and urban development during a two-day visit by Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias and his accompanying delegation which consists of the minister of industry and deputy minister of foreign trade, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said.
Speaking in a joint press conference with Kotzias in the Iranian capital, Zarif said that the two countries especially plan to resume their cooperation in the field of energy which is halted due to sanctions, Trend correspondent reported from Tehran November 29.
"We hope to be host to the Greek prime minister in the near future in order to make decisions about two-sided cooperation," he added.
Greece was a key European importer of the Iranian oil before Western sanctions on Tehran brought the oil sales to a halt in 2012.
Athens has an outstanding debt owed to Tehran from oil purchases, according to Iranian officials who have not divulged the figures.
The Greek foreign minister's visit to Tehran comes against the backdrop of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action reached between Iran and the group 5+1 (the US, UK, France, Russia, China, and Germany) in July, which is expected to remove the sanctions.
The Greek FM, for his part, praised Iran-Greece relations for their thousands-year history.
Greece welcomes the Iran nuclear deal and knows that when Iran signs something, fulfills it, Kotzias stressed.
"Iran-Greece ties have been a stream. We want that stream to turn into a big river," he stated.
The Greek foreign minister said that he and Zarif had discussed expansion of bilateral economic, cultural, and political ties are going to prepare a plan of action which defines in detail what actions should be taken to boost Iran-Greece relations.
He especially said that with its long history of shipping and shipping industry, Greece can and is willing to become a business partner for Iran which is a powerful country in producing oil and other energy resources.