Senior Iranian lawmaker, Singaporean envoy urge closer trade ties

Chairman of the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi and Singapore's Ambassador to Iran Chutai Su called for the further expansion of trade exchanges between the two countries.During the meeting held here in Tehran on Tuesday, Boroujerdi pointed to the friendly relations between the two countries, and said, "Expansion of cooperation with Southeast Asian states is on the agenda of Iran's foreign policy, and accordingly, Singapore, as a key country in the region, is very important for expanding our relations."He also voiced the Iranian parliament's full support for the measures taken by the government to develop friendly ties with Singapore.Chutai Su, for his part, pointed to Iran's vital regional and international role, and underlined Singapore's willingness to enhance mutual cooperation with Iran.Iranian and Singaporean officials have recently increased their contacts in a move to boost bilateral trade ties and cooperation.In February, Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani stressed the necessity for the further expansion of relations between Iran and Singapore, and underlined the Iranian parliament's support for closer ties between the two sides.Speaking at a meeting with Chutai Su here in Tehran at the time, Larijani said that parliament "fully backs expansion of parliamentary cooperation between the two countries".