(VOVWORLD) - Speaker of the Parliament of Iran Ali Ardeshir Larijani arrived in Vietnam on Sunday for a 3-day official visit at the invitation of National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan. The visit is expected to create new momentum for the 45-year relationship between the two countries.
 National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan holds talks with Speaker of the Iranian Parliament Ali Ardeshir Larijani (Photo: Trong Duc/TTXVN) |
Vietnam and Iran established diplomatic ties in 1973 following the signing of the Paris Agreement that ended the war and restored peace in Vietnam. In 1991, Iran opened an embassy in Hanoi. 6 years later, Vietnam’s embassy opened in Tehran. In 2009, the Vietnam-Iran Friendship Association was established.
Firm foundation for bilateral ties
Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang visited Iran in March, 2016 and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani visited Vietnam in October the same year. National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan met the Iranian Parliament Speaker on the sidelines of the 137th IPU General Assembly in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in October 2017.
The two countries have signed several cooperative agreements in economics, investment, trade, culture and science like the Joint Statement on Economic, Culture, Science and Technology Cooperation in 1993, agreements on aviation transportation and investment protection and encouragement, and MOUs on cooperation in culture, technology, research, and education.
Prospects for economic cooperation
Iran is Vietnam’s major partner in the Middle East. Though they established diplomatic ties in 1973, their economic cooperation began to prosper in 2003. Iran is a major export market for Vietnam’s mobile phones, electronics, garments, textiles, footwear, fishery and agricultural products, and construction materials. Since 2011, Vietnam has had an export surplus with Iran. To realize the target of raising bilateral trade to 2 billion USD by 2021, the two countries have created favorable conditions for their businesses to invest in energy, telecommunications,, science, technology, and fisheries.
They have also boosted cooperation in tourism and culture and increased exchanges between people, experts, and universities.
Vietnam and Iran are accelerating negotiations to sign cooperative agreements in finance, plant quarantine and protection, information, and communications. The State Bank of Vietnam and the Iran Central Bank signed a cooperative agreement in 2016 creating a basis for boosting trade and investment.