Germany’s ZDF willing to promote ties with Iran’s PressTV

The head of Germany’s ZDF broadcaster has expressed willingness to promote relations with Iran’s English-language PressTV news channel in different spheres.

In an exclusive interview with PressTV, Bellut said ZDF seeks to work closer with the Iranian news outlet as one of its “partners,” saying the German channel is open to program exchanges with international media, particularly PressTV.

“PressTV is one of our partners, and we have an interest to cooperate for getting more reports about Iran. It’s our main interest. We have an office here and we work [closely] together.”

ZDF and PressTV are willing to discuss the joint production of documentaries with various topics, including history and economy, said Bellut, adding that the German TV’s audience “is very interested” in hearing more about the Islamic Republic.

The ZDF head further described Iran as an influential country, expressing hope for “more dialogue” between the Iranian and German societies.

He made the comments during a visit to Tehran-based PressTV, where he sat down for talks with Mohammad Akhgari, the director of the World Service of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), and senior PressTV officials.

Besides PressTV, Bellut, who was heading a delegation of high-ranking ZDF officials, also toured the headquarters of Iran’s Spanish language HispanTV news channel and iFilm TV station in Tehran.

On the same day, Bellut and his colleagues also met with IRIB President Mohammad Sarafraz to hold talks on the expansion of Iran-Germany media relations.

During his meeting with Bellut, Sarafraz highlighted IRIB's great potentials, calling for closer cooperation between German and Iranian media outlets.

The ZDF chief, in turn, hailed the IRIB’s progress in various areas, particularly in production and technical areas.

He also pointed to his visit to PressTV and said the ZDF team was impressed by the achievements of Iranian media.

Bellut further voiced satisfaction with the working conditions of ZDF correspondents in Iran, calling for further enhancement of media ties between the two sides in the future.

Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen, usually referred to as ZDF, is a public-service television broadcaster based in Mainz, Germany’s Rhineland-Palatinate State. The channel operates a bureau in the Iranian capital.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk