Tasnim � The Iranian and Slovak culture ministers signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Saturday in a bid to boost cultural relations between the two countries.

Iranian Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Seyed Reza Salehi Amiri and Slovak Culture Minister Marek Madaric signed the MoU in a meeting in Tehran attended by high-ranking officials from both countries.

Speaking at the session, Salehi Amiri said the agreements reached between the two sides are mainly in areas like holding cultural weeks, active presence of both countries in one another�s book fairs and cooperation in the field of cinema and other arts.

The Slovak minister, for his part, emphasized that political and cultural relations between Tehran and Bratislava are growing.

He said the MoU that was signed today would provide the grounds for closer ties between the two countries in future.

Back in February, consular officials from Iran and Slovakia signed an agreement to facilitate issuing visas to nationals of the two countries.

In November 2016, Slovakian President Andrej Kiska said his country is willing to expand relations with Iran, which he hailed as the Middle East�s leading economic power.

In a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in Bratislava, Kiska had described Iran as a great country with a leading economy in the region, acknowledging Tehran�s significant role in security and stability in the Middle East.