TEHRAN - Director General of the Iranian Agricultural Ministry's International Affairs Office said on Monday that Iran-Romania’s scientific, technological, economic, and agricultural cooperation will be expanded.

Speaking in a meeting with the Romanian Ambassador to Iran Mirela Grecu, Ali-Morad Sarafrazi referred to the good record of bilateral ties between the two countries and reiterated that the last Iran-Romania Joint Economic Committee meeting was held five years ago in Bucharest.

"I hope this meeting will mark a new point for a new round of bilateral ties," IRNA quoted the official as saying.

The Iranian official noted that Romania is the world's top producer of soybeans, which is used mainly as livestock feed in Iran, adding: “We wish to import soybean through various channels, including barter trade.”

He also praised Romania for training a new generation of experienced and skillful farmers, arguing that Iranian farmers are often old and use traditional methods, and Iran, too, is in need of training a new generation of skillful and experienced farmers.

The Romanian ambassador, for her part, expressed happiness that the Iranian Agricultural Ministry is willing to boost cooperation with Romania, ensuring Iranian official that although the last joint economic committee meeting was held years ago, the two countries’ economic ties have continued.

She further expressed hope that such ties will further expand in the agricultural field.

Grecu welcomed the Iranian official’s proposal on sharing agricultural experiences and informed the Iranian official that in Romania there is no research center at the Agriculture Ministry, and the country relies on the universities for the purpose.

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Photo: Director General of Agricultural Ministry's International Affairs Ali-Morad Sarafrazi (2nd L) and the Romanian Ambassador to Iran Mirela Grecu (2nd R)