South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Maite Nkoana-Mashabane in a meeting with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian, held in South Africa, expressed her country’s support for the settlement of the standoff of Iran’s peaceful nuclear program.
She also said the African nation is eager to see the anti-Iran sanctions removed.
The visiting Iranian diplomat, for his part, highlighted the significance of economic relations between Tehran and Pretoria, and called for initiatives to facilitate activities of the two countries’ private sectors.
Amir Abdollahian also briefed the South African minister on the latest developments in the course of talks between Iran and the Group 5+1 (the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany) over Tehran’s nuclear work.
Iran and the sextet are currently in talks to work out a lasting accord aimed at ending the longstanding dispute over Tehran’s civilian nuclear activities.
Last November, the two sides signed an interim deal in Geneva, which took effect on January 20 and expired six months later on July 20. In July, Tehran and the six countries agreed to extend negotiations until November 24 after they failed to reach common ground on a number of key issues.
The two sides are scheduled to gather again in New York on September 18 in the hope of striking a deal before the November 24 deadline.