TEHRAN The visiting Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister, Wegger Strommen and his accompanying delegation in a meeting here Sunday with Vice Chairman of Majlis Foreign Policy Commission Mohammad Javad Larijani, reviewed further expansion of Tehran-Oslo relations. Expressing satisfaction with resumption of bilateral cooperation, Larijani briefed the Norwegian delegation on the civil achievements of the victory of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. He stated that the Majlis welcomes expansion of bilateral ties on the basis of mutual respect and common interests.

Although both countries are major oil producers, there are great potentials in the two states for further expansion of cooperation in other fields, the Iranian parliamentarian noted. Expressing satisfaction with his visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran, strommen said that Iran-Norway relations are taking an upward trend. During the meeting, the Norwegian diplomat also outlined the latest developments in the Balkan region.

Meanwhile, Strommen met with a number of Majlis deputies for religious minorities Sunday. During the meeting, the MPs outlined civil and religious freedoms of the religious minorities in the Islamic Republic of Iran and their coexistence with their Muslim brothers. The Norwegian official arrived in Tehran Friday on a four-day official visit. He is the first Norwegian political official to visit the Islamic Republic of Iran in the past decade.

(IRNA)