Bulgaria FM on Visit to Iran Hoping to Boost Energy Cooperation

Bulgarian Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov is in Tehran on Sunday and Monday, with options to deepen cooperation in energy and bring trade exchange to earlier levels set to top the agenda.

Mitov is to meet the country's President Hassan Rouhani on Sunday. The two will discuss possibilities for liquefied natural gas from Iran to reach Bulgaria via Georgia's Black Sea ports.

For Monday, talks with Mitov's Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif and Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani.

This is the first trip of a Bulgarian Foreign Minister to Tehran in 12 years.

Iran was a key trade partner to Bulgaria before sanctions were introduced against the Islamic Republic over its controversial nuclear program. Exchange in some years topped USD 1 B annually but was drastically reduced, to a maximum of a few hundred million, after the measures were enforced.