Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian (File photo by Fars news agency)

Iran’s foreign minister has expressed hope that the removal of Washington’s illegitimate and cruel sanctions will lead to closer interactions between the Islamic Republic and Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) member states.

More than two decades of active work and cooperation within the framework of IORA have increasingly revealed its huge capacities for economic cooperation among member states, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said in a statement at the 22nd Meeting of the Council of Ministers of IORA on Wednesday.

Amir-Abdollahian drew a parallel between the bright prospects for cooperation in IORA and the Indian Ocean’s huge blessings for the coastal states, saying Iran is well aware of such enormous potential and is determined to expand and deepen its relations with the Association.

Hinting at the devastating consequences of the coronavirus pandemic for the entire world and the IORA members, he said, The noble nation of Iran has been struggling with the coronavirus at a time when the country’s economic and financial capability has been severely affected by the restrictions caused by illegitimate and cruel US sanctions.

The lifting of sanctions and restoration of Iran’s rights will not only render positive economic and humanitarian impacts, but will undoubtedly lead to a stronger and more effective presence of the Islamic Republic of Iran in regional arrangements, including IORA, the chief Iranian diplomat said.

Iran has been engaged in high-profile negotiations in the Austrian capital, Vienna, since earlier this year with the aim of removing the United States’ unlawful sanctions, slapped on Tehran under the Trump administration after the US unilaterally withdrew from the Iran nuclear pact.

The Vienna negotiations, through which Iran aims to have all US sanctions removed, are expected to bring the US back into the nuclear deal, officially called the JCPOA, and put an end to its ploys to isolate the Iranian economy.

In his statement, Amir-Abdollahan also explained that Tehran had recently reinforced the national coordination mechanism for IORA through which various Iranian line ministries and bodies have reinvigorated their effective participation in eight IORA priorities and clusters for cooperation.

At the latest development, Iran’s vice-president for women and family affairs has volunteered to assume the role as the coordinator of the IORA cross-cutting area of ‘Women’s Economic Empowerment.’

Moreover, the Tehran-based IORA Regional Centre for Science and Technology Transfer (IORA-RCSTT) continues to enjoy the strong support of the Islamic Republic of Iran, he added.