WANA (Aug 04) – Iran’s First Vice President, Mohammad-Reza Aref, announced on Monday, August 4, before departing for Turkmenistan to attend the Conference of Landlocked Developing Countries, that he will meet with the United Nations Secretary-General on the sidelines of the trip to discuss regional and global issues.

 

Aref explained: “The purpose of this trip is to participate in the Third Conference of Landlocked Developing Countries. There are 32 such countries in the world, with no access to open seas, and eight of them are located in our region. Fortunately, thanks to the strategy adopted by the 14th government to expand relations with these countries as much as possible, we now enjoy good ties.”

 

He added: “Naturally, the goal of taking part in this summit is to review the potential areas of cooperation we can pursue with all landlocked developing countries, particularly with these eight in our region. The United Nations organizes this conference, and each time it is hosted by one of the landlocked states. We already have constructive interactions with these nations. For example, Dr. Pezeshkian’s recent trip to Pakistan was highly successful, productive, and beneficial for strengthening relations in the region and the Islamic world.”

 

The First Vice President continued: “I hope this visit will also contribute to enhancing our relations in all areas, especially in transit cooperation. Iran enjoys a unique position in transit, serving as a hub connecting Asia, Africa, and Europe. That is why our serious priority is the development of corridors linking these three continents. This is in the interest of the region, and we have repeatedly declared our readiness to connect landlocked countries to open waters through regional mechanisms in a spirit of friendship. During this trip, we will reaffirm this stance.”

 

Aref emphasized: “On the sidelines of this conference, I will also meet with the UN Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres, to review key regional and international issues and share Iran’s perspective on the United Nations. In addition, I will hold talks with senior officials of Turkmenistan, and, depending on the schedule, I hope to engage in bilateral and multilateral discussions with several leaders from other participating countries.”

WANA - Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations

WANA – Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations