Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, in a meeting with visiting Swiss President Johann Schneider-Ammann on Saturday, referred to the history of relations between the two countries and the positive reflection of the Swiss government’s behavior in Iran's public opinion. The Leader welcomed further expansion of economic and scientific cooperation between the two countries, saying: “The volume of trade exchanges [between] Iran and Switzerland is low and unbalanced, and the Swiss businesspeople and investors can improve this balance in the light of their knowledge of Iran's abundant potentialities.”

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution mentioned the lack of any negative history of Switzerland having followed suit with pressures [exerted on] and sanctions [imposed] against Iran by certain Western governments as one of the suitable cultural grounds for expansion of cooperation between the two countries, adding: “Since past [times], we have known Switzerland as the center of peace, friendship and cooperation. Of course some European countries are not like this and their interests lie in warmongering and creating division.”

Highlighting the Iranian people's experiences about belligerence of certain European governments, including the delivery of European missiles and warplanes to the regime of former Iraqi dictator, Saddam Hussein, during his imposed war against Iran from 1980 to 1988, Ayatollah Khamenei noted: "This behavior created a negative mental precedent in the mind of our people, but such a mentality does not exist with regard to Switzerland in Iran."

Ayatollah Khamenei underscored full economic support and the legal guarantee provided for the agreements signed between the two countries by the government of the Islamic Republic, adding: "The important thing is that as a result of serious cooperation and through firm determination and resolve, these agreements should result in practical measures."

In this meeting, which was attended by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Swiss President Johann Schneider-Ammann expressed satisfaction with his visit to Iran and after referring to the long history of friendly relations between the two countries, added: "It's a source of honor for us to be in Iran and witness forward movement in relations between the two countries."

Mr. Schneider-Ammann said two scientific and economic delegations are accompanying him during his visit to Tehran, adding: "During this visit, we held talks about a roadmap for extensive and diverse cooperation between Iran and Switzerland, and signing of this roadmap could result in the development of relations and ties."

Referring to the existence of major challenges in the world, the Swiss president said: "Today, the scope of this instability and challenges has even reached Europe and the surroundings of Switzerland and we need cooperation in order to resolve these big challenges."