Iranian leader affirms expanded relations with Vietnam Iran places high importance on developing the friendship and cooperation with Vietnam as a focus of its relation expansion policy with ASEAN and the Asia-Pacific region. Iranian Vice President Mohammad Shariatmadari was speaking this during his talks with Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on October 14. The Iranian leader greatly highlighted Phuc’s first official visit to Iran as a contribution to furthering the growth of friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries. Both sides expressed their pleasure at the time-honoured friendship in recent years, notably following Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s Vietnam visit in 2012 and agreed to promote future effective cooperation in economic, trade and science and technology.    Deputy PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) holding talks with Iranian Vice President Mohammad Shariatmadari (Photo:VGP) They agreed to increase delegation exchange at all levels, coordinate and support each other at international multilateral forums like the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and the United Nations. They also voiced their determination to lift bilateral trade to more than US$$ 500 million as expected in the years to come. Phuc asked the Iranian government to create the best possible conditions for Vietnam to boost exports of farm produce and consumer goods to Iran while stating that Vietnam will facilitate the penetration of Iranian goods to its market as well as Iranian investments in the Southeast Asian nation. For his part, Vice President Mohammad Shariatmadari suggested Vietnam back Iran in signing the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) with ASEAN. “Iran will consider supporting Vietnam’s membership of the 2020-2021 UN Security Council and work more closely with Vietnam in effectively realizing agreements and cooperation projects on economics, science and technology, agriculture, education and culture.” the Iranian leader said. On the occasion, Deputy PM Xuan Phuc invited Vice President Mohammad Shariatmadari to visit Vietnam and his invitation was accepted with pleasure. VOV