President is heading to Africa one month after a three-country journey to Latin America.
Tehran, Iran – Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has launched into his first tour of Africa, which Tehran goals to make use of to broaden political and financial relations throughout the continent.
Raisi departed Tehran on Tuesday for a visit that can take him to Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe within the first by an Iranian president to Africa in 11 years.
On Monday, overseas ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani informed reporters that Africa was a “continent of alternatives” that desires to interact with Iran and Tehran is raring to reciprocate.
“We will describe this journey as a brand new place to begin to have a surge in financial and commerce ties alongside boosting political and cultural relations with nations on this continent,” he mentioned.
Alireza Peyman Pak, a former head of Iran’s Commerce Promotion Organisation and now an agriculture ministry official, informed state tv previous to the journey that Iran had been “neglecting” alternatives in Africa lately as China and various Tehran’s neighbours, together with Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, have strengthened their presence on the continent.
Pak mentioned Iran had exported $1.2bn price of products and providers – together with petrochemical merchandise, meals, medication, and engineering and technical providers – to Africa final yr. He added that the quantity was nonetheless not excessive sufficient regardless of it being an enchancment on latest years.
“An African greenback is identical as a European greenback. Pursuits are the identical. The worldwide financial system requires us to work together with any alternatives on a global scale and enhance our overseas forex incomes,” he mentioned, including that Iran might additionally change items with African nations in circumstances through which banking programs are weak or sanctions current challenges.
In March, Raisi hosted a gathering with a gaggle of representatives from West Africa, through which he pitched Iran as a special form of associate compared with nations within the West with colonial histories on the continent.
“The growth of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s relations with Africa shouldn’t be with a watch in direction of the wealth of this area however with the purpose of progress and welfare for all nations,” he mentioned.
The journey comes a month after Raisi launched into a tour of Latin America, the place he signed a bunch of agreements to spice up ties with fellow US-sanctioned allies Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua.
Tehran has been seeking to diversify its relations since the US unilaterally deserted the nuclear cope with Iran in 2018.
