TEHRAN - Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei received on Sunday the visiting South African President Jacob Zuma during which the Leader highlighted the expansion of economic and political ties between Tehran and Pretoria.

“Independent countries should come closer to each other and expand their cooperation unlike the meddling of arrogant powers,” the Leader noted.

Referring to Iran’s severance of ties with the apartheid regime of South Africa after the 1979 revolution, the Leader said, “The Islamic Republic of Iran severed ties with the Zionist regime and the apartheid regime of South Africa almost at the same time.”

The Supreme Leader also paid tribute to Nelson Mandela for his key role in toppling the apartheid regime and his long and friendly bonds with the Islamic Republic of Iran. “With the continuation of the resistance of Mandela and South African people, the oppressive and anti-human regime collapsed and with doing this, Mandela in fact breathed new life into the resistance scene of the whole Africa.”     

The Leader also hailed the Islamic Republic’s attitude toward South Africa as positive and constructive, calling the relations between Iran and South Africa warm and constructive though there is a need for increasing bilateral trade. 

Elsewhere in his remarks, Ayatollah Khamenei named interaction between the two countries within the Non-Aligned Movement as another ground for cooperation, saying, “This cooperation will be in the interest of all member countries.” 

“Interest of independent countries will lie in expansion of cooperation in different sectors and there is need for clearing cooperation obstacles created by some powers,” the Leader noted.  

In the meeting, who was attended by President Rouhani as well, Zuma expressed thanks to Iran’s supports for the South African people during the apartheid regime.

“The South African people never forget these supports and Mandela’s visit to Iran was a practical sign of thanking these supports,” Zuma mentioned. 
 
Zuma further noted that his country has always been against the Western sanctions against Iran, highlighting numerous areas for flourishing bilateral cooperation. 

Referring to the Leader’s remarks about the necessity of close cooperation between independent nations, he said some powers try to prevent ties being formed among independent nations under different pretexts. 

“But we can resolve problems through solidarity.”

Finally, Zuma hailed the “bright resistance” of the Supreme Leader and the Iranian nation, saying the Islamic Republic has shown that it can resolve its problems and set an example for all.