TEHRAN The Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) and Yemen's Saba news agency are to expand mutual cooperation in the fields of education, press, and exchange of news and photos.

IRNA Chief Abdullah Naseri Taheri in a meeting with director general of Saba news agency stressed that IRNA's principled stances are based on promoting vocational relations with Muslim states' news agencies.

He welcomed expansion of cooperation between IRNA and Saba and hailed as "constructive and important" the role of IRNA and Saba in expanding Tehran-San'a relations.

He said Islamic bonds, historical and age-old relations, the strategic location of Iran and Yemen and close viewpoints of Iranian and Yemeni officials vis-a-vis regional and global events necessitate further expansion of cooperation between institutions of the two sides.

He added that mass media, especially news agencies shoulder the heavy duty of broadening relations between the Iranian and Yemeni governments and nations.

Taheri highlighted IRNA's facilities in the field of education, information dissemination technology, press publication, and active and effective presence in vocational coalitions, announcing IRNA's readiness to transfer its expertise to Yemeni news agency.

He invited his Yemeni counterpart to take part in the international seminar of news agencies- coalition for peace, that is going to convene in Tehran in July. IRNA is to sponsor the meeting.

He said the close stances of Iran and Yemen vis-a-vis terrorism indicate the two sides' determination to fight the ugly phenomenon.

He quoted President Mohammad Khatami as saying that the most suitable way to fight terrorism is a campaign against terrorism, forming an international coalition for peace and turning to the culture of dialogue instead of war and bloodshed.

The Saba director general said for his part that cooperation between Tehran and San'a would be in the interest of not only both countries but also the whole region. He expressed hope that cooperation between IRNA and Saba would lead to the expansion of relations between the Iranian and Yemeni mass media.

Mustafa announced readiness to attend the international seminar of news agencies- coalition for peace. He said the stances of Iran and Yemen towards developments in the world of Islam are close to each other.

He added that cooperation between Arab states and Iran, including Iran and Yemen, in the campaign against terrorism would be highly effective.