Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs I. Amanatidis attends the swearing-in of the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Dr. H. Rouhani

Deputy Minister Amanatidis represented the Greek government at the official swearing-in ceremony of the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Dr. Hassan Rouhani, which took place at 17:00 (local time) on Saturday, 5 August 2017, at the Islamic Consultative Assembly, Majles, in Tehran.

Earlier in the day, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs had a one-hour one-on-one meeting with his Iranian counterpart the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for American and European Affairs, Majid Takht Ravanchi.

Mr. Takht Ravanchi expressed his certainty that, during President Rouhani's term, "we will continue to work to enhance our bilateral cooperation, with the mutual respect and cooperation that links our two peoples."

Mr. Amanatidis underscored that "Greece can serve as the bridge between Iran and Europe on issues of energy, economy and trade," adding that "the roadmap agreed upon during Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras' last visit to Tehran will function as a valuable tool for our bilateral cooperation."

Mr. Amanatidis also highlighted that "the historical and cultural ties between the two countries, which go back more than 4,000 years, in tandem with the emphasis given on intercultural dialogue and our longstanding cooperation, are leading us to a better future."

"As is well known, a major step was taken during the dialogue that took place last April, at the first meeting of the Ancient Civilizations Forum, in Athens," at the initiative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Foreign Affairs N. Kotzias, Mr. Amanatidis stressed, adding that "Iran participated actively in that initiative, becoming signatory of the "Declaration of Athens."

The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs concluded by stressing that "we are continuing to build on existing opportunities for mutual cooperation in a number of sectors."