IRAN’S President Ebrahim Raisi received a warm welcome in Zimbabwe on Thursday, with people singing songs criticising the West as he concluded his three-nation Africa trip aimed at forging new trade alliances to mitigate the impact of US sanctions on his country. President Raisi arrived at Harare’s international airport, where he was greeted by President Emmerson Mnangagwa and numerous supporters waving Zimbabwe and Iran flags, along with placards bearing Raisi’s image.
Both Iran and Zimbabwe face US sanctions, making President Raisi’s visit to Africa, which also included stops in Kenya and Uganda, a significant demonstration of Iran’s efforts to counter the severe economic penalties imposed upon it. The trip underscores the importance of seeking new trade partnerships to mitigate the impact of these sanctions. Iran and Zimbabwe already have a joint permanent commission on political and trade relations, and during the visit, officials from both countries signed 12 new memorandums of understanding covering areas such as agriculture, pharmaceuticals, telecoms, gas, energy, and education. Similar agreements were also signed with Kenya and Uganda on Wednesday.
President Raisi emphasised the potential for mutual progress through cooperation with Zimbabwe and the African continent as a whole, given its abundant opportunities. He stated, ‘Our cooperation with Zimbabwe and our cooperation with the African continent, which is a continent full of potential, could help us for mutual advances.’
President Mnangagwa stressed the importance of dialogue between nations facing Western sanctions, as both Iran and Zimbabwe have suffered their consequences. He said, ‘It is critically important that we, the victims of Western sanctions, are talking to each other. The authors of these sanctions would not want us to talk to each other. But because we are both victims, it is equally important that we show them that we are united.’
Notably, Iran has faced renewed sanctions from the United States over allegations of supplying drones to Russia, which have allegedly been used in the conflict in Ukraine. Zimbabwe has been subject to US and European Union sanctions for two decades due to allegations of human rights abuses during former President Robert Mugabe’s regime, although some of the EU sanctions are being eased.
In addition to the shared experience of sanctions, Iran and Zimbabwe also have historical ties. President Mnangagwa expressed gratitude to Iran for its assistance during Zimbabwe’s liberation war in the 1970s, which ultimately led to the nation’s liberation from white minority rule. ‘When we went to war, Iran was our friend. I am happy you have come to show solidarity,’ he stated.
During his visit to Uganda on Wednesday, President Raisi sharply criticised Western nations’ support for homosexuality and LGBTQ+ rights, condemning it as ‘one of the dirtiest things.’ He saw Uganda’s recently-passed anti-gay legislation and the Western criticism of it as an area of potential cooperation between Iran and Uganda. Similarly, Zimbabwe has anti-gay laws, making homosexuality and same-sex marriages illegal. However, President Mnangagwa has not voiced the same level of hostility towards homosexuality as his predecessor, the late Robert Mugabe, who infamously referred to gays as ‘worse than dogs and pigs.’
President Raisi’s visit to Zimbabwe marks the first by an Iranian leader since 2010 when then-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited the country.
(with AP)
