Zuma arrives in Iran for state visit President Jacob Zuma arrived in the Iranian capital Tehran on Sunday morning on a two-day state visit to the Islamic republic. This is the second state visit to Iran by a South African leader‚ the first being by President Nelson Mandela in 1999. “The President’s State Visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran will serve to cement the strong fraternal relations between the two countries that originated during the apartheid era when Iran refused to oil the apartheid machinery and instead cut ties with apartheid South Africa‚” said Presidency spokesman Bongani Majola. “The visit takes place during an opportune moment‚ following the strong momentum in bilateral relations‚ including the Official Visit to Iran by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa last year‚ the 12th Joint Commission meeting in Iran in May 2015‚ the 6th Deputy Ministerial Working Group visit to Iran in August 2015 and other high-level Ministerial and Deputy Ministerial visits to Iran and South Africa in 2015.“In addition‚ the lifting of nuclear-related sanctions against Iran provides immense potential for closer commercial and investment cooperation between South Africa and Iran‚” Majola added. Zuma is being accompanied by Ms Noma-India Mfeketo‚ Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation; Dr Rob Davies‚ Minister of Trade and Industry; Mr Pravin Gordhan‚ Minister of Finance; Ms Tina Joemat-Pettersson‚ Minister of Energy; Ms Nomvula Mokonyane‚ Minister of Water and Sanitation and Mr Ebrahim Patel‚ Minister of Economic Development and a business delegation...