TEHRAN -- Deputy Culture Minister for Press Affairs Mohammad Khodadi met with Afghanistan’s Deputy Minister of Information and Culture Mohammad Rasoul Bawari in his office in Tehran to discuss expansion of cultural relations, the office announced on Tuesday.

“The constant relations between Iran and Afghanistan have always been based on kindness, cooperation, and friendship, and the two nations have always supported each other,” Khodadi said in the meeting.

“Millions of Afghan nationals living in Iran and receiving free services like Iranian citizens demonstrate Iranians’ friendly behavior toward their old neighbor,” he added.

“The western countries have long been exaggerating about the problems in the Muslim countries seeking to further their own interests. They have been trying to introduce the developing Muslim countries as undeveloped, war-seeking countries that are encountering cultural and social crises,” he said.

Bawari also announced his country’s willingness to engage in a media collaboration with Iran and to exchange journalists between the two countries.

He also noted that the culture ministers of the two countries are scheduled to sign a media agreement, based upon the terms of which Iran will have a cultural center in Herat while Afghanistan will be able to establish a cultural center in Mashhad.

Media cooperation, exchange of media delegations between the two countries, and holding journalism courses were other topics discussed at the meeting. 

Photo: Deputy Culture Minister for Press Affairs Mohammad Khodadi (L) holds talks with Afghanistan’s Deputy Minister of Information and Culture Mohammad Rasoul Bawari (C) in his office in Tehran.

RM/YAW