Newly accredited Iranian Ambassador to Guyana, Abdolreza Mesri said that his country has no limitations in helping Guyana and is interested in finding out what areas it could offer assistance.
The ambassador presented his letters of credence to President Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday, and shortly after he praised the Guyanese leader as being, “an educated President”.
The ambassador, speaking through an interpreter, said that Iran is focused on strengthening ties with Guyana on a mutually agreed agenda, saying too that the issues which deepen relations with this country are the ones Iran would be pursuing.
Mesri told reporters that the mapping of Guyana’s mineral resources did not come up during his discussions with the President, adding “those matters will come up eventually”.
The brief discussion yesterday focused on Iran offering assistance in the medical field and in promoting liberty and justice here, Mesri said. He said Iran is willing to build medical training centres in this country.
Iran, he said, is interested in promoting justice in friendly countries and hoped to carry out this “responsibility here”. Mesri stressed that there should be no limitations in helping any country; an approach which Iran has to Guyana.
With respect to the kind of relationship Iran hopes to have with Guyana, he said the country is looking to find out exactly in what fields Guyana needs help.
He stressed that Iran will bring experience in these areas to the table whether it is in the medical field and or a social issue.
Questioned about US concerns regarding Iran’s penetration in South America, the ambassador said America has always had concerns about Iran’s relations with independent nations.
“Why must [the] US have concern if we talk with others? Why they must fear our friendship with other countries?” he asked. He said that Iran’s foreign policy is to shake hands with all countries while promoting liberty and justice.
Mesri continued that Iran’s policy is a “good idea”, and this bothers the US. However, he said that Iran is not building relationships with Guyana and other countries to make America happy and or unhappy. “We work for humanity and for friendship with all countries, not for America… The people in Guyana are our sisters and brothers,” he added.
Following a visit to the Middle East earlier last year, President Jagdeo had announced that he had held meetings with the Iranian authorities and several initiatives had been discussed between the two nations, including plans for the Islamic Republic to map the mineral potential of Guyana.
He had said too that Iran would have sent a team to work with the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) to map mineral wealth here.
Ambassador Mesri will be resident in Caracas, Venezuela. He is currently a member of the Governing Board of the Medicas Razi University of Sciences in Iran. Previously, he held the position of Vice-President of the Social Commission in the Government and Ministry of Welfare and Social Security.
