Iran Backs Bangladesh Bid for UNSC Seat

TEHRAN (FNA)- Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Dipu Moni said Iran has announced its support for Dakar's bid for a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council.
"Iran will support Bangladesh in the election of the non-permanent members of the UN Security Council for 2016-17 term," Moni said.

"Iran has confirmed us on the issue," the Bangladeshi foreign minister told the bdnews24 on Sunday.

Bangladesh is a candidate for non-permanent membership of the UNSC for the period and is seeking support of other countries in this regard.

The UNSC has five permanent members and 10 non-permanent members elected for a two-year term.

Moni said that he and the visiting Iranian deputy foreign minister, who arrived in Bangladesh on Sunday, would discuss bilateral and international issues, including Dakar's bid for the UNSC membership.

"The visiting Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister, Mohammad Ali Fathollahi, is also due to extend an invitation to President Zillur Rahman to attend an international conference on anti-terrorism in Tehran from June 23 to 24," Moni said.

"I requested him to reduce the duty of Hessian garments and legalize thousands of Bangladeshi workers there," she said.

"The Iranian envoy assured me that his authorities would legalize them," she added.

"There is a prospect of growing trade between the countries and it should be explored," Moni said, and added that the Iranian minister would have discussions on the issue with foreign secretary Mohammed Mijarul Quayes on Monday.

"I told him that the existing trade ties are not acceptable and that there is ample scope for increasing them," the minister said.

The Iranian minister will leave on May 31.