Iranian FM meets Australian speaker, senior MPs

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif met with Australian Parliament Speaker Tony Smith and senior legislators to discuss ties and regional developments.

During the meeting with Smith in Canberra, the two sides conferred on the election systems in Iran and Australia as well as ways to initiate parliamentary cooperation.

Zarif also met with members of the Australian parliament's foreign policy, defense and trade committees Monday to brief them on the latest foreign policy issues, including Iran's relations with Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf littoral states, the Syrian crisis, Iranian immigrants in Australia, and Tehran's recent missile drills.

Last April, Zarif had underlined that Tehran and Canberra shared concerns about the spread of terrorism and extremism in the region.

EA