TEHRAN - Gholamali Khoshroo, the Iranian envoy to the UN, has said that Tehran is optimistic about a resumption of political relations with Canada with a change of government in Ottawa.

Improvement of the political relations may lead to expansion of cooperation in other areas, he said in an interview with ISNA published on Tuesday.

In 2012, Canada, under Prime Minister Stephen Harper, severed diplomatic ties with Iran. Some media outlets and analysts said Harper was even more hostile to Iran than Israel.

However, the new Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said that he has plans to restore relations between the two nations in the wake of the Iranian nuclear deal.

“Unfortunately, the past developments and closure of Canada’s embassy have not helped the two countries’ economics, politics and culture and the wrong path that was taken should be corrected and we are sure that this correction will take place,” he noted.

The senior diplomat also urged the new Canadian government to prioritize relations with Iran.

Khoshroo also said that Iran and Canada can expand ties in the areas of science and technology.

In a commentary entitled “Canada elections: Israel loses 'best friend' as Justin Trudeau defeats Stephen Harper” the International Business Insider On October 15 said now Jerusalem has lost one of its staunchest allies in Canada’s Harper in the landslide election victory by Trudeau.

It said Israel has seen its foreign policy allies dropping like flies in 2015, with momentum building behind the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement, the Palestinian flag being raised at the United Nations and relations between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Barack Obama at historic lows.

Harper was known for his refusal to condemn Israeli settlement construction – illegal under international law – and support for Israeli opposition to the nuclear deal between Iran and the 5 + 1 group.

NA/PA