Tehran -
International Relations and Co-operation Minister Maite Nkoana Mashabane’s visit to Iran has opened a new chapter in the bilateral relations between the two countries.
Mashabane has hailed Iran as a friend of South Africa.
“Iran was at the forefront of the fight against apartheid, and pledged solidarity to the South African people,” the minister said at the opening of the 12th meeting of the South Africa-Iran joint commission in Tehran.
“Iran has been a strong ally of South Africa internationally and in the Non-Aligned Movement, and remains a strategic partner given its pivotal and influential role in the region, and the fact that it is one of the world’s largest sources of energy.”
At one time, Iran was the biggest supplier of crude oil to South Africa, but South Africa was obliged to halt its imports of Iranian oil as of June 2012, because of sanctions.
South Africa has condemned the imposition of sanctions against Iran.
“Sanctions against Iran are irrational and illegal,” Mashabane said, adding: “We want to see them removed, and see natural resources being utilised for peaceful means.”
The imposition of sanctions negatively affected South Africa as the increase in the price of oil adversely affected the country’s national development goals.
South Africa was hoping to see the nuclear deal between Iran and the P5+1 concluded as soon as possible so that trade could be normalised, and Iran integrated into the community of nations, the minister said.
Meanwhile, South Africa was looking to expand its trade relations with Iran, she added.
A plethora of countries are looking to court Iranian trade and investment, notably the US, China, India, France, Germany, Italy, Ethiopia and Yemen.
Countries want to get in on the action early to secure trade deals and a significant share of Iran’s oil and gas.
South Africa’s joint commission with Iran was one of the longest-running structured bilaterals it has with any country. Mashabane is being accompanied by Deputy Trade and Industry Minister Mzwandile Masina and a large contingent of senior officials from the departments of Trade and Industry, Energy, Treasury, Water, Science and Technology.
Mashabane has also taken to Iran a sizeable South African business delegation from sectors such as mining, telecommunications, engineering, agro-processing and transport.
Sanctions have resulted in a big drop in trade with South African exports to Iran going from R1.5 billion in 2007 to R250.1 million last year.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said: “We have to do away with obstacles to our joint trade; we need dynamic business interaction between our countries.”
Independent Foreign Service