Iranian, French MPs discuss expansion of parliamentary cooperation

Iranian and French lawmakers discussed ways to open new chapters in the two nations' bilateral relations in all arenas, particularly in parliamentary cooperation. In a meeting in Tehran on Wednesday between Chairman of the Iranian Parliament's Legal and Judicial Commission Allahyar Malekshahi and French Senators Joelle Garriaud-Maylam and Jean-Yves Leconte, both sides stressed the need to bolster bilateral ties between Tehran and Paris. The Iranian lawmaker touched upon the age-old friendship between Tehran and Paris, expressing hope that mutual parliamentary relations will further grow in the future. He underlined the significance of parliamentary exchanges between the two countries, saying both legislatures can share experience with each other in lawmaking. The French senators also expressed hope that the parliamentary ties between Iran and France would witness new horizons through both countries' efforts.   The two French senators left Paris for Tehran in early hours of Wednesday to confer with senior officials here on ways of bolstering mutual cooperation between the two countries. On Wednesday, the 2-member French delegation also conferred with Chairman of the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi on the latest developments on the international and regional scene as well as expansion of bilateral relations. Late in May, former Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for European and American Affairs Ali Asqar Khaji and French Foreign Ministry Director-General for North Africa and Middle-East Affairs Jean Francois Giroux in a meeting in Tehran discussed bilateral ties and regional developments. During the meeting in Tehran, Khaji pointed to Iran's prominent position in the region and the country's efforts to promote regional and international peace and stability, and said, "Tehran seeks to enhance its cooperation and interaction with the European countries, including France, based on its own diplomatic principles." Giroux, for his part, underlined the importance of Iran's influential role in the regional developments and called for continuation of bilateral talks between Iran and France. Also on Saturday, a ranking delegation from the European parliament, comprised of three Socialist European lawmakers, headed by Hannes Swoboda, arrived in Tehran for a four-day visit.