ROME -- Italian Minister of Productive Activities Antonio Marzano here Wednesday stressed the need to expand Tehran-Rome industrial cooperation in order to boost Iran's light and medium industries by optimizing their share in the Italian market.

In a meeting with Iranian Deputy Minister of Mines and Industries Morteza Sharif al-Nasabi and Iranian Ambassador to Rome Bahram Qasemi, Marzano said that expansion of industrial cooperation between the two sides will also motivate domestic industries to raise the quality of their products to export level.

He termed the development and growth of Iran's light and medium industries as an integral part of a major undertaking to strengthen industrial cooperation between the two countries.

The Italian official also voiced his country's readiness to enhance bilateral cooperation in the areas of technology transfer and financing to revitalize various sections of Iran's light and medium industries.

"Expert delegations of both sides must be aware of their mutual needs and capabilities during their working visits to the other's territory," the Italian minister said.

Sharif al-Nasabi, for his part, expressed Iran's determination to revitalize industrial cooperation with Italy, suggesting that such cooperation can be effectively started with transfers of Italian knowhow and technology to Iran, IRNA reported.

Morteza Sharif al-Nasabi, heading a delegation, arrived here Sunday to follow up and implement an accord signed in March this year by the Iran-Italy Joint Economic Commission.

During his six-day stay in this Italian capital, the two sides are to explore possible avenues for expanding cooperation between their light industries, particularly in areas such as training of company staff, joint investment, as well as exchange of expert knowledge and technology.