Algerian Parliament Speaker meets Iranian President Raisi in Tehran

Algerian National People’s Assembly Speaker Brahim Boughali has arrived in Tehran for an official four-day day visit, state news agency APS reported.

Upon his arrival on Tuesday, Mr Boughali was received by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who described the visit as a “turning point” in relations between the two countries.

Mr Raisi highlighted his country’s interest in further developing economic co-operation with Algeria and called for the swift creation of a Joint Iranian-Algerian Economic Commission.

“The Joint Commission for Economic Co-operation between Iran and Algeria, along with the formulation of a road map for relations, can play a significant role in accelerating and facilitating the expansion of interactions between the two countries in various sectors,” he said.

The Algerian Parliament Speaker said he had held several fruitful discussions with high-ranking Iranian officials with regard to boosting bilateral economic co-operation.

The Iranian President also touched on his country's stance on current security challenges in the region and the need to use diplomacy to solve pending crises.

“Iran is working to establish peace and security in the region, and considers that dialogue is the solution to all current crises,” Mr Raisi said.

In July, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian held a joint press conference with his Algerian counterpart Ahmad Attaf, during which they discussed the ongoing progress in bilateral relations and the easing of visa requirements between the two countries.

Mr Raisi is also set to participate in the coming Gas Exporting Countries Forum meeting in Algeria in November this year.

Diplomatic relations between Algiers and Tehran have been turbulent for decades, with tension reaching a peak in the 1990s when Algeria accused several countries, including Iran, of supporting terrorists in the country amid a brutal civil war that lead to the deaths of 200,000.

This lead to the severance of diplomatic ties between the two countries that were resumed in the early 2000s by late Algerian president Abdelaziz Bouteflika and his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Khatami.

However, the resumption of relations has been relatively unpopular among Algerians, who remain sceptical over Iran's interests in the region.