TEHRAN - Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Morteza Sarmadi has said that Iran and Georgia should take more serious steps to expand mutual ties.

“The Islamic Republic and Georgia enjoy historical and cultural common grounds and should take more fundamental steps to improve cooperation in various areas,” Sarmadi said in a meeting with Deputy Chairman of Georgia’s Parliament Gubaz Sanikidze in Tehran on Saturday.

Sarmadi highlighted the important role of the two countries’ parliaments in promoting relations.

The Georgian official said Tbilisi attaches great importance to friendly relations with Iran.

Sanikidze added that Georgia is ready to expand cooperation with Iran in all spheres.


------‘U.S. wrong policies led to spread of terrorism in region’

National Security and Foreign Policy Committee Chairman Alaeddin Boroujerdi said on Sunday that “wrong policies” adopted by the United States have led to the spread of terrorism in the Middle East region.

In a separate meeting with Sanikidze, Boroujerdi said that the spread of terrorism in the region poses threata against the whole world.

“Terrorism should be fought more seriously and constantly with participation of all regional countries,” he added.

Elsewhere, he said that “cruel” sanctions against Iran have created no obstruction in Iran’s relations with the friendly countries.

The Georgian official described the nuclear agreement between Iran and the 5+1 group (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany) as one of the “most important events” during the recent years.

Sanikidze also said that Iran can play a “positive” role in establishing stability in the region.

Iran and the six major powers reached a nuclear agreement in Vienna on July 14.


NA/OSN