Celebrating 40 years of Vietnam - Iran diplomatic relations

On August 14, in Hanoi, the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations and the Vietnam-Iran Friendship Association held a rally to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam-Iran diplomatic relations (August 4, 1973 - August 4, 2013).

Attending the ceremony were President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations Vu Xuan Hong, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam Nguyen Phuong Nga, President of the Vietnam-Iran Friendship Association Dang Nhu Loi; Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Islamic Republic of Iran Hossein Alvandi Behineh; President of the Iran-Vietnam Friendship Association Seyyed Kamal Sajadi, along with representatives of relevant agencies and members of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam-Iran Friendship Association, and staff of the Iranian Embassy in Hanoi.

Speaking at the ceremony, Chairman of the Vietnam-Iran Friendship Association Dang Nhu Loi affirmed that the 40th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam-Iran diplomatic relations is an important event in the friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

Over the past 40 years since the two countries officially established diplomatic relations, Vietnam-Iran relations have seen positive developments. Many high-level visits by leaders of the two countries and visits by leaders of ministries, departments and sectors have been made to exchange, discuss and find measures to promote friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

The two countries have signed many cooperation documents in the fields of economics, culture, science and technology, air transport, maritime transport, agriculture, etc.

In the field of trade and economy, in 1994, Vietnam and Iran established the Intergovernmental Committee on trade and economy and at the 5th session of the Intergovernmental Committee in Tehran (Iran), the two sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding agreeing to expand and diversify economic and trade cooperation to promote the existing capacity of the two countries.

In the field of people's diplomacy, Mr. Dang Nhu Loi highly appreciated the Iran-Vietnam Friendship Association for regularly organizing many friendly activities with Vietnam.

Although the Vietnam-Iran Friendship Association and the Vietnam-Iran Friendship Parliamentarians' Group were only established in 2009, they have organized many information exchange activities to strengthen cooperation between the two sides with the contents specified in the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between the two Friendship Associations for the period 2009-2014.

Mr. Dang Nhu Loi hopes that in the coming time, the Friendship Association and the Friendship Parliamentarians' Groups of the two countries will closely coordinate and increase many activities to foster the friendship and cooperation between the people of the two countries to develop more comprehensively, practically and firmly.

Ambassador Hossein Alvandi Behineh expressed his thanks to the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations and the Vietnam-Iran Friendship Association for organizing the celebration.

The Ambassador said that over the past 40 years, with the richness of culture, civilization and the spirit of love for independence, the people of the two countries have shared interests and mutual understanding on international and regional issues, establishing a deep friendship.

This is demonstrated by the fact that the two countries regularly exchange high-level diplomatic, economic and cultural delegations, sign agreements, memoranda of understanding, basic documents, and support each other at international and regional organizations and forums.

The Ambassador emphasized that although the trade turnover and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries have grown in recent years, the results achieved are still not commensurate with the inherent potential of both sides. To overcome this situation, the relevant ministries and agencies of both sides need to be more determined to cooperate, support and coordinate with each other.

Ambassador Hossein Alvandi Behineh highly appreciated people-to-people diplomacy activities, affirming the role of this work in developing friendly relations and cooperation between Iran and Vietnam.

On the same day, in Hanoi, President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations Vu Xuan Hong awarded the Medal “For Peace and Friendship among Nations” to President of the Iran-Vietnam Friendship Association Seyyed Kamal Sajadi for his active contributions to promoting cooperation and friendship between the two countries.

The Iran-Vietnam Friendship Association was established and started operating in 2002. Since then, as Chairman of the Iran-Vietnam Friendship Association, Mr. Seyyed Kamal Sajadi has actively organized activities to enhance cultural understanding and economic-trade cooperation between Vietnam and Iran.

President Seyyed Kamal Sajadi has directly taught about Vietnamese culture and economy at universities and has written many articles and published books on Vietnamese politics, economics and culture in Persian, including “The Tale of Kieu”; at the same time, he has made many positive contributions to organizing the forum “Trade opportunities between Iran and Vietnam” and signing the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between Tehran and Hanoi in 2012.

President of the Iran-Vietnam Friendship Association Seyyed Kamal Sajadi expressed his gratitude and honor at being awarded the most noble Medal of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations.

The President said that in the coming time, he will actively introduce the image, country and people of Vietnam to the Iranian people as well as the potential for cooperation between the two countries./.

According to VNA - LT