NZ and Iran Foreign Ministers meet

Foreign Minister Murray McCully met with Iran’s Foreign Minister Dr Mohammad Javad Zarif in Wellington this afternoon.

“We are very pleased to welcome Minister Zarif to New Zealand. His visit is the first by an Iranian Foreign Minister in over ten years and allows us to refresh the relationship between our two countries following the implementation of the Iran nuclear deal in January,” Mr McCully says.

“Our talks today covered a range of Middle East regional security issues relevant to New Zealand’s membership of the UN Security Council, including Syria, Yemen, Iraq and Afghanistan.

“We have also discussed trade and economic issues, and concluded an arrangement between the New Zealand Export Credit Office and the Export Guarantee Fund of Iran. This will help facilitate economic cooperation by giving exporters greater confidence in the trading arrangements between our two countries.

“I took the opportunity to thank Minister Zarif for the critical role he played in securing the nuclear agreement and encouraged Iran to use this opportunity to reset its relationship with the international community.

“It was in this spirit that I raised New Zealand’s concerns about the human rights situation in Iran,” Mr McCully says

While in New Zealand Minister Zarif will also be meeting with the Prime Minister, the Minister of Trade, and the Minister of Primary Industries.