In different meetings with officials from different African countries, the president has stressed the need to broaden ties between Iran and the continent.
He has regretted that the current level of relations is not satisfactory, urging the Foreign Ministry officials to devise mechanisms for identifying the capacities and enhancement of relations between Iran and Africa.
Iran’s relations with Africa after the 1979 Islamic Revolution
The News China website says Mozambique has been Iran’s main African ally in the years following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, noting that the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, who used to be the country’s president in 1985, paid a visit to Mozambique and three other African countries in 1979.
Raisi’s support for independence and growth in Africa
Middle East Institute says the Iranian president has so far met with officials from Mozambique, Togo and Guinea Bissau and ever since his taking office he has been seeking to boost cooperation with Africa.
Raisi notes that the Western countries have been seeking to colonize and exploit the African countries over the course of the history and today they are still pursuing their own interests in the continent.
During a meeting with his Mozambican counterpart in late February, the Iranian president said that Iran has always had cordial relations with African countries.
President Raisi reiterated Iran’s support for independence, progress and welfare of the African people.
Also in a meeting on January 24 with the foreign minister of Togo, the Iranian president said that Iran seeks to expand interactions with all world countries, the neighboring and Muslim countries in particular.
African economic opportunities
Abbas Golrou, the head of Iranian Parliament's Foreign Relations Committee, has referred to Africa’s uncountable economic opportunities, calling on both parliament and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to assess relations between Iran and the African countries.
He said that Africa can meet Iran's mining needs by supplying the country with the much needed iron ore and bauxite, also Africa can be a big market for Iranian auto industry and can meet Iran's agricultural needs through overseas farming.
Noting that the level of trade between Iran and Africa has increased to a great extent, Golrou, however, said that Iran has to do its best to have a bigger share of the continent's annual $1000 billion of imports.
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