Staff Reporter

Zimbabwe and the Islamic Republic of Iran have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations, with a renewed focus on trade, investment, and mining collaboration.

This comes after Vice President General (Retired) Dr Constantino Chiwenga held high-level talks in Tehran with Iran’s First Vice President, Dr Mohammad Reza Aref, yesterday.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 7th Iran-Expo 2025 and the 3rd Iran-Africa Economic Conference, where both nations expressed determination to translate long-standing diplomatic ties into concrete economic partnerships.

“Our relations with Iran started many years ago, and we have come to strengthen those relations. We were discussing the issues raised by the President of Iran during the opening of the Iran-Africa Economic Conference and our cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Iran. We have a joint commission in which we cooperate in many areas,” said Vice President Chiwenga.

Iran’s First Vice President, Dr Aref, echoed the sentiment, stating, “Over the past two decades, the two countries have been fighting to achieve the objectives of freedom. We are backed by our people, and it is the people who are supporting that mode. So, in terms of collaboration with Zimbabwe, we are indeed committed to further cooperation in many areas.”

During his visit, Vice President Chiwenga also toured exhibition halls at the Iran-Expo, where he explored potential areas of collaboration, especially in the mining sector.

He underscored Zimbabwe’s interest in aligning with Iranian companies and technologies to boost productivity and innovation in Zimbabwe’s resource-rich mining industry.

“We have seen promising opportunities, and we are exploring how we can align the synergies between our mining sectors. We are keen to understand what Iranian companies are producing and how they can contribute to Zimbabwe’s mining industry, either through establishing operations or supplying products that could enhance our sector,” he said.

Vice President Chiwenga was accompanied by the Minister of Defence, Honourable Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, and senior government officials.

The delegation attended the official opening of the Iran Expo 2025, which was presided over by Iranian President Dr Masoud Pezeshkian.

The engagement signals Zimbabwe’s ongoing diplomatic push to diversify international partnerships and attract strategic investment from the Middle East and beyond, especially in sectors with high growth potential such as mining, energy, agriculture, and manufacturing.