President Muhammadu Buhari has assured Iran of the preparedness of Nigeria to strengthen existing relations with the Islamic republic.
He gave the assurance when the Iranian vice-president, Mr Mohsen Mansouri, paid him a courtesy visit at the on-going UN summit on least developed nations holding in Doha.
Buhari’s media aide, Malam Garba Shehu quoted the president as saying that: “I have interacted with Iranians over many years, especially when I was Nigeria’s Petroleum Minister and I understand the country and its people.
“I, therefore, welcome the strengthening of relations between our countries as we have complementarities, especially in the energy sector.’’
The president also told his guest about the February and March elections in Nigeria and the fact that a new president would be taking over in less than three months.
He hoped that the strong relations he had built between the two countries would continue to endure in the new administration.
Earlier, the Iranian vice-president said he was glad to meet with the Nigerian leader.
He said he understood fully that the two nations with their rich human and natural resources and the attendant wealth needed to cooperate in other areas such as agriculture.
Iran, according to him, is currently facing international sanctions over nuclear and other issues.
Mansouri stressed, however, that as leaders in their respective regions, it was important for the Nigeria and Iran to push for multilateralism to be the order of the day and avoid a unipolar world.
According to him, the way forward is to set up and strengthen a joint commission between the two countries at the highest levels. (NAN)
