site.btaDeputy PM and Foreign Minister Zaharieva Discusses Counter-Terrorism, Religious Tolerance with Iranian MPs

Sofia, December 14 (BTA) - The fight against terrorism and hate speech, the promotion of inter-faith tolerance and the search for a solution to the migration crisis figured on the agenda of a meeting that Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva held here on Thursday with a delegation of the Iran-Bulgaria Parliamentary Friendship Group at the Islamic Parliament of Iran, led by the Group's Head Ahmad Alireza Beygi, Zaharieva's Ministry said in a press release.

"Counter-terrorism is our common cause," the Deputy PM said, stressing that Muslims outnumber Christians among the victims of terrorist attacks.

Alireza Beygi agreed and added that his country's Government is determined to tackle the root causes of terrorism, paying special attention to migration processes.

Zaharieva noted during the meeting that foreign citizens' integration is a key stability factor in Europe as well. She said that all States are duty-bound to work for the promotion of inter-faith tolerance.

Both sides found that economic contacts have yet to catch up with the 120-years-old excellent political relations between Bulgaria and Iran. The two delegations noted the existence of worthwhile opportunities for the development of tourism and an increase of two-way trade, which has the potential to reach its level of the 1980s.

Zaharieva described Prime Minister Borissov's visit to Iran in 2016 as a sign of friendship between the two peoples and invited her Iranian counterpart to visit Bulgaria.

"I would like to ask you to convey to the Bulgarian people New Year greetings and congratulations on the forthcoming Presidency of the EU Council," Alireza Beygi said. "The Presidency will be our success, too, because our friends will occupy a position that is important to ourselves," he added.

The situation in the Middle East, the European position on the nuclear deal with Iran and other topics were also discussed at the meeting.