The Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Abubakar Bawa Bwari, has expressed Nigeria’s interest in strengthening trade relations with Iran, especially in the mining sector.

He stated this when he received the Iranian Ambassador to Nigeria, Morteza Rahimi Zarchi, who paid a courtesy visit to the Ministry last Wednesday.

While expressing appreciation for the visit, the Minister recalled that President Buhari was in Iran recently to reinforce trade relations between the two countries.

Bwari maintained, the both share a lot in common as members of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, in diversification of the economies due to the global fall in oil prices as well as in mining.

He added that Iran, in terms of mining technology could impart Nigeria positively, noting that the country is advanced in coal to power and mining exploration, which Nigeria can benefit from.

Earlier, Ambassador Zarchi had stressed that Nigeria and Iran are both exploring other sources of revenue by diversifying the economy to mining and agriculture, and the Iranian investors are interested in partnering with Nigeria in the mining sector.

Furtherance to the trade cooperation, he had visited Niger State, which he confessed is blessed with mineral resources, adding, there is a need to involve the private sector in the expansion of the economic cooperation of the two countries.