TEHRAN Visiting Finnish Foreign Ministry Under-Secretary of State Pekka Lintu in a meeting with Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi here Monday called for expansion of mutual cooperation, particularly in economic domain.

Lintu stressed the need to diversify mutual ties given Iran's significant status in the region as well as the high economic capacities of the two countries.

He voiced pleasure over growing Tehran-Helsinki relations, and voiced Finland's readiness to boost cooperation in such areas as economy, trade, and tourism with the Islamic Republic.

The Finnish Foreign Ministry official further stressed the need to continue Tehran-Helsinki cooperation regarding regional issues, including rebuilding of the war-shattered Afghanistan.

Kharrazi, for his part, said the expansion of Iran-Finland ties would serve the interests of both countries.

He said the two countries have yet to develop economic and trade cooperation by activating their private sectors, encouraging joint investment projects and promoting the tourism industry.

Kharrazi voiced concern about the continuation of the state terrorism by the Zionist regime, and called on the international community, particularly the European Union, to put the regime under pressure to stop the massacre of Palestinians.

He further said the constant U.S. support for the Zionist regime had deteriorated the crisis in the occupied territories, and said Iran welcomes the EU's more active role in solving the Middle East crisis through just and fair means.

The Iranian foreign minister called the return of Palestinians to their homeland to regain their legitimate rights as the only solution to the Middle East dilemma.