TEHRAN, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said on Monday that Iran and Algeria have vowed to expand their relations at bilateral, regional and international levels, the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA) reported.
Qalibaf made the remarks at a joint press conference with visiting Ibrahim Boughali, speaker of the People's National Assembly of Algeria, following their meeting in Tehran earlier in the day, according to the ISNA.
Qalibaf said, during the meeting, the two sides underlined the necessity of activating the joint economic commission, adding that the commission will begin its operations as soon as possible to boost bilateral economic cooperation.
The two officials also stressed the need to increase shipping lines between the two countries and expand cooperation in knowledge-based areas.
Their talks also touched on exchanges between the two countries' parliaments and parliamentary friendship groups.
Qalibaf said the two sides agreed to hold an online meeting of the Parliamentary Union of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Member States, given that Boughali is the union's president, to discuss the necessary measures to tackle the recurrent desecration of the Quran in a number of Western states.
Boughali, for his part, stressed that his country seeks to strengthen relations with friendly states, including Iran.
The Algerian speaker noted that Algeria has approved new investment laws, permitting incentives to attract foreign investments, expressing hope that Iran would be among the first countries to take the opportunity.
He also urged respect for all religions' sanctities, as well as efforts to prevent acts of desecration against different religions, including Islam. ■
