Zarif made the remarks in Uzbekistan, after a meeting with his Uzbek counterpart Abdulaziz Khafizovich Kamilov.
Congratulating the people of Uzbekistan on Nowruz (the New Persian Year), the Iranian foreign minister said that the Iranian and Uzbek people share many cultural values in common, including Nowruz.
He said that during the meeting with the Uzbek foreign minister, they explored ways to promote different economic, political and cultural relations and discussed regional cooperation, including peace in Afghanistan, as well.
Zarif said that there are many different grounds for cooperation with Uzbekistan, adding that he would raise expansion of cooperation with Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev later today.
The Iranian foreign minister is on a visit to Central Asia for meetings with officials from Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.
Meanwhile, Zarif paid a visit go the Center for Islamic Civilization which is under construction in Tashkent.
He said that construction of the center could both strengthen reliance on the Islamic beliefs in line with the fight against extremism and distancing from violent perceptions of Islam.
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