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Iran seeks boost of economic ties with Netherlands: FM

Xinhua, September 20, 2015 Adjust font size:

Iran's foreign minister said here Sunday that his country is seeking to enhance economic ties with the Netherlands when the Western sanctions are removed against his country.

"We are ready to cooperate with our partners in the European Union, including the Netherlands, in diverse areas," Mohammad-Javad Zarif said in a meeting with his visiting Dutch counterpart Bert Koenders.

The relations between Iran and the Netherlands is historical, but due to the "unfair and illegal sanctions" and pressures exerted by the United States against Tehran, these relations were crippled over the past years, Zarif said.

However, following the recent nuclear deal between Iran and the world powers, "the ground has been prepared to boost economic ties with the Netherlands as well as with other European countries," he said, adding that "we are happy to see a Dutch foreign minister in Tehran after 14 years."

"Iran and the Netherlands can cooperate in oil and gas fields. Besides, the Netherlands' advancements in agriculture and water management sectors can serve as a means to further boost of cooperation," Zarif said.

Both countries can also work together on political issues, including the Middle East situation, and campaigns against illicit drugs, he added.

For his part, Koenders pointed to the recent developments in the aftermath of Iran's nuclear deal, saying that both countries are seeking to deepen political, economic and cultural cooperation.

The Netherlands is also interested in collaboration with Iran in oil, gas and agriculture and believes that the situation is ripe for the expansion of ties, he said.

Koenders's two-day visit to Iran follows trips by other European officials to the Islamic republic in the wake of the historic nuclear deal which was reached in July as a critical step to resolve Tehran's decade-long nuclear issue.

Under the comprehensive deal agreed by Iran and six world major countries on July 14, Iran would improve the transparency of its nuclear plan while freezing some of its nuclear activities in exchange for sanction relief.

A number of officials from Western countries recently visited Tehran, trying to thaw ties and restore economic cooperation. Endit