TEHRAN - Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and his Tanzanian counterpart Stergomena Lawrence Tax on Thursday afternoon held talks over issues of mutual interest and expansion of cooperation between the two countries.

During the telephone conversation, Amirabdollahian congratulated Ms. Stergomena Lawrence Tax on her appointment as Tanzania’s new foreign minister and underlined the need for expansion of cooperation in different fields, according to the Iranian foreign ministry.

The top Iranian diplomat said fortunately, Iran and Tanzania share the same views at international organizations and expansion of ties, especially in trade and economic fields, has always been their top priority.

Iran’s foreign minister further stressed that Iran is ready to share its know-how and experience, particularly in knowledge-based areas as well as in the fields of agriculture, fishery, dam construction, watershed and irrigation, with the African country. 

Tanzanian Foreign Minister Stergomena Lawrence Tax for her part thanked Amirabdollahian for his verbal and written messages of congratulations on her appointment as the new top diplomat of Tanzania.

She called for expansion of cooperation between the two nations in different areas.

Ms. Lawrence Tax added that Tanzania has put on its agenda the pursuit of cooperation with Iran, especially in trade and economic fields and also the holding of the joint commission of the two sides as soon as possible.

 Using fake name for Persian Gulf will not change realties: spokesman

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani has said the use of a fake name instead of “Persian Gulf” by Iraqi officials is at odds with the principle of neighborly ties and friendly relations between the two countries.

Kanaani called on Iraq to correct this trend.

He said the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Baghdad earlier objected to this move. Kanaani further said the Foreign Ministry’s Department General of Legal Affairs also filed an official note of protest with the Iraqi officials.
He stressed that the department described the move by the Iraqis as unacceptable and called on Baghdad to respect international names.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said Iran expects the Iraqi officials to use the correct name for the body of water, which has been underlined by the United Nations as well. Kanaani said the name of “Persian Gulf” has been the same in documents, maps, diaries and ancient texts for thousands of years and the fabrication of unfounded phrases and words will not change this reality.

He noted that no country should seek friendship with others at the expense of the rich asset of historical solidarity among regional countries.

Iran condemns Israeli raid on Jenin camp
Kanaani has also strongly condemned Thursday’s brutal attack by the criminal forces of the apartheid Zionist regime against the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank that martyred and wounded dozens of oppressed Palestinians.

Kanaani said the silence and inaction of relevant international organizations and the fake defenders of human rights in the West toward the daily crimes of the occupying regime are painful and a cause for shame.

Kanaani also called for Islamic countries to adopt a united stance and act in concert in defense of the oppressed Palestinian people and their legitimate resistance against the Zionist occupiers.

Kanaani also demanded serious action in order to prevent inhumane and terrorist acts by the apartheid Zionist regime.

The Iranian foreign minister said on Twitter that the “ferocious attack and mass killing carried out by the Zionist entity in the Jenin camp” requires immediate action from the international community and Islamic countries against the criminals.