Tehran – Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and his high-level delegation wrapped up a successful three-day visit to Iran, the Presidency said on Tuesday.
The historic and strategic bilateral relations between Iran and South Africa had been further strengthened through several memoranda of understanding (MOU) agreements that were a joint declaration between the two countries, detailing their support for each other in several sectors.
Ramaphosa’s visit occurred after Iran and the so-called P5+1 countries signed the Joint Comprehensive Programme of Action that lead to sanctions on Iran being lifted. The P5+1 comprises the UN Security Council’s five permanent members China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as Germany.
The signed agreements between South Africa and Iran would see an increase in trade and investment, cooperation between the two countries in several industries and a support base through which small businesses could be further developed through cooperatives.
The Presidency said Ramaphosa and his Iranian counterpart, First Vice-President Es’haq Jahangiri had reviewed “bilateral, regional and international issues” including the reformation of the United Nations Security Council, regional issues in the Middle East, including Syria, Yemen, as well as the Middle East Peace Process. They also discussed extremism and terrorism and how to combat these.
Ramaphosa and Jahangiri were committed to ensuring the various agreements could “expedite implementation of projects and action plans agreed upon to consolidate bilateral relations” between South Africa and Iran.
The two deputy head of states witnessed the signing of a trilateral MOU agreement between Mintek, the Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organisation and the Iran Mineral Processing Research Centre that focused on mineral processing.
MOUs between the Financial Intelligence Centre and the Financial Intelligence Unit of the Islamic Republic of Iran to fight money laundering and financial terrorism and between the Securities and Exchange Organisation and the Financial Services Board with regards to assistance and mutual cooperation in the capital markets were also signed.
A final draft that would see agricultural cooperation between the two countries was agreed on, while the two countries would negotiate a new tourism agreement and look at finalising a water resource management agreement in 2016.
The two countries were alsoin the process of agreeing on a mechanism that would facilitate cooperation in the oil and gas industries, and they discussed a financial model that would more effectively facilitate opportunities for trade and investment.
During his visit, Ramaphosa presided over the launch of the South Africa-Iran Business Council, created to encourage companies to do business with each other.
Ramaphosa was accompanied by Minister of Water and Sanitation Nomvula Mokonyane, and deputy ministers Nomaindia Mfeketo of international relations and cooperation, Godfrey Oliphant of mineral resources, Mcebisi Jonas of finance, Bheki Cele of agriculture, forestry and fisheries and and Tokozile Xasa of tourism. A number of senior government officials, representatives from Mintek, Eskom, the Council for Geoscience, the Financial Intelligence Centre, the South African Revenue Service and over 80 business leaders formed part of the delegation.
African News Agency
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