Iran, Italy News Agencies Agree To Promote Co-op

Tehran, July 15, IRNA – Managing Director of the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) Mohamad Khodadi and his counterpart from Italyˈs news agency the Adnkronos International (AKI) agreed on Monday to promote bilateral news cooperation, particularly in economic and energy fields. In a meeting held here at IRNA headquarters, Khodadi and َAlessandro Pica Discussed ways to boost IRNA-AKI cooperation for producing joint reports on the latest developments in oil and gas sectors. The two also agreed to promote bilateral cooperation for producing multimedia products based on latest technologies. Khodadi suggested that the two news agencies hold joint seminars on a regular basis to discuss energy issues with the help of the European and Middle Eastern news agencies as well as the world leading oil companies. The proposal was welcomed by the Italian side. Khodadi and Pica also agreed to exchange news, news photos and images and setting up joint workshops to promote professional status of both news agencies. Referring to the rich and 80 year-old history of IRNA, Khodadi expressed hope that the two agencies would play more active roles in providing the two nations national interests as well as restoration of peace and stability to the world. Meanwhile, Pica who was accompanied by his deputy Roberto Ladicicco, said his Iranian counterpart introduced useful and inventive ideas. According to Pica, AkI is interested in direct news coverage from Iran. He added that while in Tehran, he and his entourage met with Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Ali Janati and Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham. AKI was established in 1963 by a merger of two agencies, Kronos (founded in 1951) and Agenzia Di Notizie (founded in 1959). In 2003, the agency launched its International office (Adnkronos International), with news and reports in Arabic and English, mainly from the Arab world. The agency also publishes Il libro dei fatti, the Italian edition of the World Almanac./end