Pretoria - South African and Iranian delegations are on Tuesday meeting to discuss decisions taken at the 10th South Africa-Iran Joint Bilateral Commission (JBC).
The meeting is being co-chaired by Foreign Affairs Deputy Director General responsible for Asia and the Middle East Ambassador Jerry Matjila and Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance of Iran Dr Behrouz Alishihri.
Both Mr Matjila and Dr Alishihri were appointed to oversee all activities related to the JBC in their respective countries and to ensure that the decisions taken by the JBC are implemented.
The Department of Foreign Affairs on Monday confirmed the meeting will review the implementation of decisions taken by the Political and Social Affairs Working Group and the Economic and Technical Working Group.
The Political and Social Affairs Working Group deliberates on issues such as the Middle East, Africa, disarmament and nuclear issues, human rights, global governance, regional co-operation and South Africa's Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative (AsgiSA).
The Economic and Technical Working Group on the other hand focuses its attention on investment co-operation, trade promotion, commerce exhibitions, customs, oil and petrochemical, transport, agriculture, housing, free trade zones, banking, electricity and mining.
According to the department, South Africa and Iran share good historical bilateral relations and the latter supported the South African liberation movements.
"It severed official relations with South Africa in 1979 and imposed a trade boycott in protest against the country's Apartheid policies.
"However in January 1994, Iran lifted all trade and economic sanctions against South Africa and diplomatic relations were re-established on 10 May 1994.
"Relations have expanded significantly since 1994 and the JBC offers an opportunity for a high-level review of bilateral relations, the consideration of ways in which these relations could be expanded further, as well as a forum for the discussion of major international, regional and multilateral developments," the department said.
The department said South Africa and Iran share good trade relations with South African exports increasing by 7 percent from R1.4 billion in 2006 to R1.5 billion in 2007.
Imports from Iran which has been mostly crude oil have also increased by 13.5 percent from R18.3 billion in 2006 to R20.8 billion in 2007.
Several South African companies are involved in major projects in Iran and Sasol is participating in a $900 million Iranian polymer joint venture with the Iranian state-owned petrochemicals company, Pars Petrochemicals Company.
The joint venture is known as the Arya Sasol Polymer Company.
MTN also has a 49 percent stake in the Iran Cell consortium which was awarded the second mobile telecommunications license in Iran.
The department confirmed that Iran was the largest supplier of crude oil to South Africa in 2007
