Malaysian Interior Minister Ahmad Zahed Hamidi here Tuesday announced his country's readiness for the expansion of comprehensive relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran, IRNA reported.
Hamidi made the remark Tuesday evening in a meeting with the Managing Director of Islamic Republic of Iran Ministry of Foreign Affairs East Asia and Oceania Office Seyyed Rasoul Mohajer.
Mohajer delivered Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar's proposal for establishment of a joint committee for bilateral cooperation to the Malaysian interior minister, which was welcomed.
Mohajer said, "Boosting of cooperation between the two countries, particularly between the two countries foreign ministries, would lead to solving the problems of the Iranians residing, or studying in Malaysia.
He also proposed that the joint committee for cooperation between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Malaysia would have regular meeting alternatively in Tehran and in Kuala Lumpur.
The Managing Director of Islamic Republic of Iran Ministry of Foreign Affairs East Asia and Oceania Office Seyyed Rasoul Mohajer also had a meeting Tuesday morning with his Malaysian counterpart at this country's Foreign Ministry in which the two countries' officials discussed bilateral relations and important regional developments.
The two countries have cooperated in a number of large industrial projects, many of them in the energy sector.
In December 2007, the two countries signed a six billion US dollar deal to develop areas of Irans offshore gas fields.
In addition, Iran and Malaysia are working towards an extensive multilateral oil refinery deal with Syria and Venezuela.
Datuk Seri Mohd Affendi Norwawi, a minister in the department of the Prime Minister of Malaysia has said that his country maintains friendly relations with Iran.
Malaysian Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed, in a November 2007 meeting with Irans Minister of Science, Research and Technology Mohammad Mehdi Zahedi, expressed his desire to reactivate a memorandum of understanding from 2003 that would allow the two countries to increase educational exchanges.
Both countries are members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and have used these forums and bilateral relations to develop political ties.