Iranian Foreign Minister visits Tanzania

Hon. Bernard K. Membe (MP), Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation together with his Iranian counterpart Hon. Mohammad Javad Zarif signing an agreement on Promotion and Protection of Investment between the two countries. The signing ceremony took place at Serena Hotel in Dar es Salaam during a two-day visit to Tanzania by Hon. Zarif.

The signing continues while Officers from Iran and Tanzania facilitates the Ministers. Standing right is Mr. Gerald Mbwafu, Foreign Service Officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation

Hon. Membe and Hon.Zarif exchanging the agreement

.....Press Conference

Hon. Membe gives his remarks during a joint press conference held at Serena Hotel.

A cross section of Press Personnel listening to Hon. Membe's (not in the photo) remarks

Hon. Zarif  speaking to Journalists (not in the photo)

Ambassador Simba Yahya (C), Director of the Middle East Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and Assistant Director in the same Department, Mr. Elibariki Maleko (R) during a joint press conference between Hon. Membe and Hon. Zarif.

Another section of  delegates from both countries during a joint press conference.

.....Official talks

Hon. Membe in official talks with Hon. Zarif, mainly on strengthening bilateral relations between Tanzania and Iran

Hon. Zarif (4th from right) leading the Iranian delegation during official talks

Tanzania delegation during the official talks with the Iranian delegation.
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PRESS RELEASE

Tanzania and Iran today signed a Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation at the end of a two-day visit by Iranian Foreign Minister, Hon. Mohammad Javad Zarif.

The agreement signed by Hon. Zarif and his host, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hon. Bernard Membe in Dar es Salaam, covers promotion and protection of Investments in areas ranging from education, health, agriculture, energy to manufacturing.

Hon. Zarif paid a courtesy call on President Jakaya Kikwete yesterday and expressed Iran's eagerness to expand economic cooperation with Tanzania and other countries in the Great Lakes Region. He was accompanied by Chief Executuve Officers of a number of big Iranian companies, including Mapna Group, which has exported power turbines to Russia.

The entrepreneurs yesterday held a business forum with their Tanzanian counterparts under the Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (TCCIA).

During official talks today, Hon. Membe and Hon. Zarif also agreed to cooperate in fighting terrorism and establish mechanism for the exchange of prisoners.

Hon. Membe expressed hope that economic sanctions imposed on Iran over its uranium enrichment scheme would be eased following the move to review the sanctions against Cuba. He said Tanzania supported the Persian country's use of nuclear power for peaceful domestic purposes.

Hon. Zarif said another session was scheduled for this coming weekend in Munich under their negotiations with Western countries on the nuclear programme, adding that he hoped good news would come out of the meeting as long as Iran's right to decide its own affairs was respected.

Responding to questions at a press conference later, Hon. Zarif defended the hanging of hundreds of people in Iran, saying they were convicts of drug trafficking. "This has helped to deter drug trafficking from Afghanistan to Europe. Don't forget that drug money is also used to finance terrorism," he said.

He was reacting to criticism that the hanging of 852 people by Teheran in the past year was an affront to human rights. Hon. Zarif explained that there was an internal debate in Iran on whether the death penalty should be reviewed.

Hon. Zarif and his delegation flew to Zanzibar for talks with the President of the Zanzibar Revolutionary Government, Dr. Ali Mohammed Shein, afterwhich he left for home.

Issued by:

Government Communication Unit,

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

05^th February,2015