Iranian Ambassador to Uruguay Mojtaba Bani-Asad met with Canelones Mayor Francisco Legnani on Monday, August 24, 2026, to discuss opportunities for expanding cooperation between Iran and Canelones.

The meeting, held during Uruguay’s National Day celebrations, highlighted more than 123 years of relations between Iran and Uruguay. They also discussed ways to strengthen economic, cultural, scientific and technological cooperation.

Legnani highlighted Canelones’ economic and productive capacities, particularly in agriculture, livestock farming and the pharmaceutical sector, and described Iran as a market with significant potential for Canelones products.

The mayor also expressed Canelones’ readiness to screen Iranian films, saying such cultural exchanges could help Uruguayan audiences gain a better understanding of the Iranian people, culture and millennia-old civilization.

Bani-Asad outlined Iran’s capabilities and advances in various fields despite sanctions imposed on the country following the 1979 Islamic Revolution. He particularly highlighted Iran’s achievements in medicine, industry, science and technology and stressed Tehran’s readiness to share its experience and further expand mutually beneficial cooperation.

The two sides agreed to pursue discussions in several areas, including agriculture and the pharmaceutical industry, and to work toward concluding a sister-city memorandum of understanding.

Canelones is Uruguay’s largest and most important department after the capital in terms of population, political significance, and economic activity. Its economy is based on agriculture, livestock, food processing, tourism, pharmaceuticals, and industrial and commercial activities. Its proximity to Montevideo also gives it an important role in Uruguay’s national economy and supply chains.