TEHRAN -- Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi and South African Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad on Saturday held talks on Tehran-Pretoria relations.

Pahad said that his visit to Iran is aimed at enhancing the level of diplomatic and economic relations between the two countries, IRNA reported.

He said that any tension in the Persian Gulf region would have negative impacts on the stability of the African continent.

Pahad called for collective contribution to help ease tension in the Persian Gulf region.

Kharrazi said that Iran and South Africa have made efforts to secure regional stability in the Persian Gulf and the African continent and called for Tehran-Pretoria economic cooperation.

He said that Iran and South Africa are the gateways for the Central Asian and African markets respectively and called for following up of the approvals of Tehran-Pretoria joint economic commission.