Zarif holds talks with Indonesian president

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has met with Indonesian President Joko Widodo to discuss bilateral ties and regional issues of mutual interest.

The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 5th Extraordinary summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Palestinian issues in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, on Monday.

During the meeting, Zarif submitted the written message of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to the Indonesian president.

After the meeting, Widodo told reporters that Iran and Indonesia agreed to expand cooperation in investment and energy sectors. He also said that the two Muslim countries were committed to fully support the establishment of an independent State of Palestine. 

Also on Monday, Zarif held a separate meeting with his Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi on the sidelines of the OIC summit, where the Iranian foreign minister underlined the need for bolstering political and economic relations between Tehran and Jakarta.

The pair also exchanged views on the latest developments in the region as well as the challenges facing the Muslim nations.

On Sunday, Zarif held talks with his Tajik counterpart Sirojiddin Aslov on bilateral ties and the issues of mutual interests.

In a separate meeting on Sunday, the Iranian foreign minister and Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Numan Kurtulmus conferred on the latest regional developments as well as ways to bolster bilateral relations between Iran and Turkey.

Heading a high-ranking politico-economic delegation, Zarif arrived in Jakarta Sunday on the first leg of an official visit to six Southeastern Asian and Pacific countries.

Indonesia is hosting the two-day extraordinary OIC summit on Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Shareef upon the request of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, held to consolidate the organization’s efforts to support the Palestinian people in their struggle for their rights and prepare the ground for the resumption of the peace process within a specific agenda and timetable.

Tensions have been running high in the occupied Palestinian territories since August 2015, when Israel imposed restrictions on the entry of Palestinian worshipers into the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East al-Quds - the third holiest site in Islam after Masjid al-Haram in Mecca and Masjid al-Nabawi in Medina.

More than 190 Palestinians, including children and women, have lost their lives at the hands of Israeli forces since the beginning of last October.

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