TEHRAN -- Bosnian Ambassador to Tehran Ebrahim Efendic conferred here on Tuesday with the Chairman of the Expediency Council Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani on expansion of mutual relations.

At the meeting, Rafsanjani said Iran attaches importance to having wider relations with Bosnia and Herzegovina as a Muslim nation, adding that the Iranian government and nation have always supported the Bosnian nation even during and after the Balkans war.

"We hope Bosnia and Herzegovina will play a more decisive and serious role among the Islamic countries," he said and underlined Iran's readiness to help reconstruct the shattered country and facilitate return of war refugees, IRNA reported.

Big powers and the U.S., in particular, are trying hard to throw obstacles in the way of Tehran-Sarajevo relations and prevent expansion of ties between the two countries, he said, calling on both states to pass through this stage vigilantly.

The Bosnian ambassador, for his part, appreciated the aid and services rendered by the Islamic Republic of Iran during Balkans war and called for strengthening and broadening of Tehran-Sarajevo ties to a satisfactory level.

Iran has practiced wisdom and seriousness in backing Bosnia and Herzegovina during and after the Balkans crisis and this will be remembered by the Bosnian people.

Underlining the sensitive geographic status of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the region, he underlined that his country favors a very powerful Islamic society in Europe which can serve as a bridge between the Muslim civilization in East and the Christian civilization in West with an aim of expanding ties between the two civilizations.