TEHRAN- Ebrahim Raisi, the Iranian president, has voiced his nation’s support for peace, stability, and tranquility in the Balkans, saying Tehran has not seen any barriers to raising the level of ties with the nations in this region.

Raisi made the remarks during a meeting on Sunday with Serbian Parliament Speaker Vladimir Orlic in Tehran.

Raisi also called for advancement of relations between Iran and Serbia, particularly in industrial and commercial spheres.

He also underlined the necessity to assess the capacity of the two nations and the procedures for advancement of relations.

The Iranian president also cautioned that “hegemons only regulate relations with other governments by looking at their own interests, and leaders of countries must be vigilant in preventing their destructive influence.”

“Not only was the Iranian nation not deterred by the sanctions and pressure, but it has created many opportunities for growth and progress from these threats, especially in various fields of technology, which can help deepen cooperation with different countries,” he said in reference to the shameful failure of the sanctions against Iran.

Orlic, for his part, sent the president’s cordial wishes, delivered a report on the recent events in the Balkans, and thanked Iran for its help in establishing peace and stability in the region.

The speaker also expressed his nation’s interest in advancing and growing the level of trade relations with Iran, saying, “We are not only ready to increase the level of cooperation, but we are also working to achieve this goal, and holding a joint commission meeting between the two countries will definitely be effective in strengthening and expanding relations, especially in the economic field.”

Iran, Serbia share similar views on international issues: Qalibaf

Iran and Serbia have “coordinated positions” on the world stage, according to Iranian Parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf.

Qalibaf made the remarks during a joint press conference with his visiting Serbian counterpart Orlic on Sunday.

“Relations between the two countries go back a long time and have been in place for over 80 years; and today, the second visit of the speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia to Tehran has been made at the invitation of Iran’s Parliament speaker,” Qalibaf said.

Qalibaf stressed the importance of parliamentary collaboration, calling it very effective in fostering links between public and private sectors. 

He said that the two sides want to expand their cooperation in the areas of economy, commerce, and tourism during joint commissions that will be convened in the coming months.

The senior lawmaker also said, “Iran and Serbia enjoy very good and coordinated positions at the international level.” 

The Iranian official stated, “In today’s meeting, such coordination was emphasized despite potential pressure from certain countries.”

Following an invitation from his Serbian counterpart, Qalibaf stated that he will travel to Belgrade at the head of an economic and commercial delegation shortly.

Orlic, for his part, praised the relations between the parliaments of Iran and Serbia as “warm” and said the friendship groups of the two countries are “very active,” and that the Islamic Republic’s friendship group in Belgrade has the largest number of representatives with 28 members.

The speaker of the Republic of Serbia’s National Assembly also praised Iran’s respect for Serbia’s territorial integrity, saying the Islamic Republic’s refusal to recognize Kosovo demonstrates that the country is on the side of justice and international law.

Orlic emphasized that Serbia is working to bring about long-term stability and security in the region by saying, “We also thank the Islamic Republic of Iran for its support to Serbia.”