Iran-Cyprus Parliamentary Ties Very Extensive: Larijani
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani hailed the growing relations between Tehran and Nicosia, saying that the two countries’ parliaments enjoy very cordial and extensive relations in all fields.
“Given the geographical position of Cyprus and that the country is the nearest member of the European Union to Iran, relations between Iran and Cyprus have always been cordial,” Larijani said in a joint press conference with President of the Cypriot House of Representatives Demetris Syllouris in Tehran on Sunday.
He further emphasized that the Iranian and Cypriot parliaments have reached many agreements over the past months, adding that in his meeting with Syllouris before the press conference, the two sides discussed ways to implement the accords.
Larijani went on to say that the two sides also exchanged views about the expansion of banking cooperation to facilitate trade relations between Iranian and Cypriot merchants.
“It is very important to us that relations between Iran and Cyprus develop in all cultural, economic, security and scientific areas,” the Iranian parliamentarian said.
The remarks come against a backdrop of a new wave of interests in ties with Iran after Tehran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) on July 14, 2015 reached a conclusion over the text of a comprehensive 159-page deal on Tehran's nuclear program and started implementing it on January 16.
The comprehensive nuclear deal, known as Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), terminated nuclear-related sanctions imposed on Iran.
