TEHRAN -- According to a press release issued here by the secretariat of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), Seyed Mojtaba Arastou who was introduced as the new ECO secretary general on July 15, assumed office in an official ceremony, IRNA reported.

The ceremony was attended by Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister on Economic Affairs Mohammad Hossein Adeli.

In a speech at the ceremony, Adeli referred to Arastou's vast and long background in international agencies, specially in ECO-related affairs, and hoped that his appointment will be an effective step in expediting ECO objectives.

According to Adeli, Arastou's appointment was proposed by Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi and was approved by the ECO ministerial council.

Arastou, in a short speech, appreciated the efforts of Abdolrahim Gavahi, the former secretary general and intimated the main axes of his working programs including improvement of ECO secretariat's internal structure, planning to promote economic cooperation among ECO member states and realization of decisions taken at the summit and foreign ministers meetings.

He also pointed to the expansion of relations among ECO member states, the international organizations and the global community, enhancement of the publicity on activities of ECO member states and evolution of new fields of cooperation among the member states as among his goals.

Arastou, who replaced Gavahi, previously served as an advisor to the foreign minister, Iran's ambassador and permanent representative to the UN offices in Vienna and Geneva and head of the Regional Cooperation for Development Office.

Iran, Turkey, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Afghanistan are the ten ECO members.