Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Wednesday urged the Southeast Asian bloc to expand bilateral cooperation with Tehran as he held talks with ASEAN Secretary-General Dr. Kao Kim Hourn.
"In his meeting with President Raisi, Secretary-General of ASEAN Dr Kao Kim Hourn, emphasized the importance of the role and position of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the region, and presented a report on the plans of the association to expand interactions with the Islamic Republic," a statement from Raisi's office stated.
Raisi, for his part, asked ASEAN to "seriously pursue" expanding ties with Iran.
The Iranian leader's remarks about close cooperation with ASEAN were made in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, where he was on a two-day state visit to deepen economic ties between the two Muslim-majority nations.
Indonesia is a prominent member of the ASEAN.
Iran & Indonesia Sign PTA
On Tuesday, the two Asian countries inked a preferential trade agreement (PTA) that aims to boost trade between Jakarta and Tehran.
Moreover, the two Islamic nations agreed to settle their trade in national currencies.
A total of 11 agreements were finalized between Indonesia and Iran during Raisi's visit. These include cooperation in the fields of science and technology, pharmaceuticals, petroleum, and natural gas, and boosting cultural exchanges.