Iran committed to continue support for African nations

Iran is committed to continue support for African nations, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Saturday. He made the remarks in his meeting with Ivory Coast’s new ambassador to Tehran Abdoullah Cissé. “African nations have been oppressed for long years under the rule of tyrant colonial powers and need the support of independent states,” Ahmadinejad added. He noted that Iran is willing to develop relations with all African countries without any precondition. Ahmadinejad stressed the facilitation of customs and banking affairs between Iran and Ivory Coast as well as holding meetings between Iranian and Ivory Coast economic activists. “Africa has large natural resources and good potentials for development,” Iranian president said. The new Ivory Coast ambassador to Iran submitted his credentials to Iranian president and for his part, expressed his country's willingness for development of relations with Tehran. Referring to Ivory Coast good capacities in fields of agriculture and mineral resources, Ambassador Abdoullah Cissé demanded the help of Islamic republic in these fields. Ivory Coast’s new ambassador to Tehran submitted a copy of his credentials to Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi on Monday. Ivory Coast is a country in West Africa. It borders Liberia and Guinea to the West, Mali and Burkina Faso to the North, Ghana to the East, and the Gulf of Guinea to the South. Iran has sought hard to expand ties and cooperation with the African continent, especially since President Ahmadinejad ascended to power in 2005.