Aref made the remarks on Wednesday in a meeting with Andrei Kuznetsov, Belarus’s minister of industry and the head of the Belarusian side of the Joint Commission on Cooperation.

Expanding cooperation in various fields, given the very good political relations between the two countries, is one of Iran’s strategic priorities, he said.

The successful convening of the 18th meeting of the Iran-Belarus Joint Commission, he added, provides “a very good opportunity” for advancing comprehensive ties.

Aref noted that Iran and Belarus share close views in international forums and cooperate across multiple regional organizations, which requires both sides to continue and expand collaboration in all areas.

Boosting trade and economic exchanges depends on strengthening the work of the joint commission, he said.

Pointing to President Masoud Pezeshkian’s recent visit to Belarus, Aref said the trip opened a new horizon for bilateral relations.

He added that increased exchanges of delegations and mechanisms such as the joint commission play an effective role in enhancing cooperation, particularly in the economic sector.

The private sectors of both countries, he went on, can significantly expand bilateral trade and should be encouraged to do so, especially in light of the free trade agreement between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union.