Iran, Zimbabwe discuss mutual cooperation

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi and Zimbabwe's Minister of Defense Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa explored avenues for the further expansion of mutual cooperation in different fields, defense in particular. During the meeting, Salehi pointed to the good trend of the political ties between Iran and the South African state and reciprocal meetings among the two countries' officials, and voiced Iranian and Zimbabwean presidents' firm resolve to improve Tehran-Harare all-out ties, specially in economic and trade fields. He also expressed Tehran's preparedness to exchange experiences and cooperate with Zimbabwe in the areas of economy, trade, agriculture and defense. Mnangagwa, too, lauded the progresses made by Iran in industrial, defense and aerospace fields, and expressed the hope that efforts underway by the two countries' officials would lead to the expansion of all-out ties. In relevant remarks today, Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi in a meeting with Mnangagwa announced Tehran's preparedness to help Zimbabwe strengthen its defensive power. "We are ready to reinvigorate Zimbabwe's defense power," Vahidi said in Tehran on Sunday morning. He also referred to the defense cooperation between the two countries in the past, and stressed Iran's readiness to share its experiences with Harare in different fields. Mnangagwa, for his part, underlined Zimbabwe's enthusiasm for the expansion of cooperation with Iran.