RNA - "Iran is a big country with a rich cultural heritage and it plays an important role in the region," President Essebsi said in a meeting with Iranian Culture Minister Reza Salehi Amiri in Tunis City late on Friday.
The Tunisian president said that Iran is the sole hope for the struggle against Israel and Tunisia hopes that the Muslim and Arab world to stand by Iran in this regard.
Salehi Amiri, for his part, conveyed greetings of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to his Tunisian counterpart, and expressed the hope for promotion of cultural exchanges and ties between the two countries along with more cooperation in the fields of economy, trade and investment.
The Iranian culture minister said that the situation in the region after events in Iraq and Syria has changed, adding, "If Iran had not acted in the fight against terrorism, the terrorists would have been in Baghdad and Damascus and this virus could spread to the entire region."
Salehi Amiri departed Tehran on Monday at invitation of Algerian and Tunisian Culture Ministers to pay visits to these two countries and sign cultural and art cooperation documents, especially in the field of cinema.
During his stay in Algeria, Salehi Amiri met with a number of senior officials of that country.
In relevant remarks earlier in March, Iran's First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri stressed his country's enthusiasm for the further expansion of relations with Tunisia in all fields.
In a message to Tunisian Prime Minister Youssef Chahed, Jahangiri congratulated him on the country’s national day, and expressed the hope that bilateral ties between Iran and Tunisia would develop more than ever in all spheres.
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