Head of the AREPO, a subsidiary of the Iranian Agriculture Ministry Mojtaba Khayyam Nekouyi , said on Monday that food demand in Iran will reach 180 million metric tons (mt) in 2031 when the country’s population is expected to reach 103 million.

Khayyam Nekouyi said that Iran’s agriculture output is currently responsible for 80% of a total food demand of 156 million (mt) in a country of nearly 85 million people, Press TV reported.

The deputy minister of agriculture said Iran will be capable of responding to its rising food demand in the next seven years if it uses a proper management system for its water and land resources, otherwise, with the continued trend in reduction of water resources and the increasing (global) food supply problems, the country’s food security will be at risk, he emphasized.

He said that average annual precipitation in Iran had fallen from 250 millimeters to 220 millimeters, adding that dwindling water supplies and lack of management on resources could pose a major risk to Iran’s food security in the future.

However, he said Iran could increase its agricultural output to respond to its food demand and cut back on imports with more efficient farming and water management techniques.

“We have the potentials and facilities for production of basic commodities needed in the country,” said the official.

Iran has introduced measures in recent years to increase activity in its agriculture sector.

The policy has been aimed at guaranteeing food security in the country at a time it faces trade restrictions because of US sanctions.

In a meeting in Tehran on Monday, Amirabdollahian and Serbian Parliament Speaker Vladimir Orlic talked about the cooperation between Iran and Serbia, especially in the area of parliamentary diplomacy.

Iran’s top diplomat described the presence of the Serbian parliament chief and his accompanying delegation in Tehran as an important opportunity for promotion of cooperation between the two countries, the Foreign Ministry’s website reported.

Hailing the positive and growing trend in political, economic and cultural cooperation between the two countries, Amirabdollahian expressed hope that the exchange of delegations at high levels would continue and play a role in closer cooperation between the two sides.

He further noted that the insults in Sweden and Denmark to the Holy Quran have hurt the feelings of two billion Muslims across the world.

“We condemn insults to divine scriptures and believe that desecrations of the sanctities of Muslims and followers of divine religions should not be permitted under the pretext of freedom of expression,” the Iranian foreign minister added.

For his part, the Serbian parliament speaker appreciated the principled policy of Iran in supporting the territorial integrity and national sovereignty of his country.

He said his meetings with the Iranian president, parliament speaker and a number of ministers were fruitful, emphasizing the Serbian government and parliament’s determination to bolster relations with Iran in all spheres.

Orlic said parliamentary cooperation between the two countries were positive, adding, “Due to the importance of relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Parliamentary Friendship Group with Iran in the Parliament of Serbia is considered one of the most crowded friendship groups.”

In a meeting with Armenia’s Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in Tehran on Monday, Raisi said regional issues should be settled by the countries in the region.

“Any foreign intervention will only complicate issues. The Islamic Republic of Iran supports the peace talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan and hopes that these talks will (help) establish and strengthen peace and security in the region as much as possible,” he added.

He once again reiterated Iran’s stance on opposing any geopolitical change and manipulation of the regional countries’ borders, Press TV reported.

“Iran supports the right of sovereignty and territorial integrity of all regional countries,” Raisi emphasized.

The Iranian president also stressed the importance of improving ties with Armenia and said no obstacle can hinder the expansion of mutual relations.

The Armenian foreign minister, for his part, commended Iran’s positions regarding the developments in the Caucasus region.

Mirzoyan said his country would never be used as a platform for measures against Iran and has always supported the development of regional security and peace.

He added that Yerevan attaches great significance to the expansion of ties with Tehran and stressed the need to boost mutual diplomatic relations.

The Armenian foreign minister arrived in Tehran at the head of a delegation on Monday. Earlier in the day, he held talks and attended a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian.

The Iranian Navy and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Navy took delivery of the “Abu Mahdi” strategic cruise missile in a ceremony attended by senior military officials on Tuesday.

With a range of over 1,000 kilometers, the missile would expand Iran’s naval defense coverage zone by several times and allow the naval units to broaden their operational range.

In comments at the event, IRGC Navy Commander Rear Admiral Ali Reza Tangsiri said a main feature of the new missile is keeping the enemy away from the Iranian coasts.

“We can fire the Abu Mahdi missile from deep inside the country. The missile has a dual seeker and performs successfully against the enemy’s electronic warfare,” the general said.

He explained that if an Iranian military vessel travels at a distance of 1,000 kilometers from the country’s coasts and launches the Abu Mahdi, the enemy’s aircraft carrier will have to retreat at least 1,000 kilometers farther away to evade the long-range cruise missile, so the fighter jets on board the aircraft carrier will be rendered useless.

The general noted that the new missile can be fired either from a vessel or a coastal launch pad, hunt multiple targets, and hit the target from various directions.

“Since the missile has a very low service ceiling and a very long range, it could be hardly tracked,” Rear Admiral Tangsiri noted.

He expressed hope that the missile, named after late Iraqi commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis who was martyred at the hands of the “criminal US”, would conduct retaliatory attacks on the enemies at sea.

In a telephone conversation with his Kuwaiti counterpart Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on Sunday, Amirabdollahian condemned the desecration of the Holy Quran in Sweden and Denmark.

The two senior diplomats underlined the need for the Muslim countries to adopt a decisive stance to condemn and prevent such acts.

Amirabdollahian further appreciated Kuwait’s condemnation of the insult to the Quran in the two European countries and called for an emergency meeting of the foreign ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to send a strong message and condemn the defiling of Islamic sanctities.

The top Iranian diplomat also pointed to good ties between Iran and Kuwait, saying, “We believe that in light of regional cooperation, we can have peace, stability and progress in the region without the presence of foreigners.”

The Kuwaiti foreign minister, for his part, welcomed Amirabdollahian’s proposal to hold an emergency meeting of the OIC, saying the Kuwaiti government strongly condemns any insult to the Holy Quran and Islamic sanctities.

The two sides then exchanged views on the issues of mutual interest.

In a meeting with Speaker of Serbia’s Parliament Vladimir Orlic, held in Tehran on Sunday, Raisi called for the promotion of relations between Iran and Serbia, especially in the economic and commercial fields.

He also emphasized the need to identify the capacities of the two countries and determine mechanisms for the development of relations in the joint commission of Iran and Serbia.

Highlighting Iran’s support for peace and stability in the Balkans, Raisi stated that Tehran does not see any obstacles in improving the level of relations with the countries of this region.

“The hegemons regulate relations with other governments only by looking at their own interests, and the leaders of countries must be vigilant in preventing their destructive influence,” the Iranian president warned.

Referring to the disgraceful failure of the sanctions against Iran, he said, “Not only wasn’t the Iranian nation deterred by the sanctions and pressure, but it has created many opportunities for growth and progress from these threats, especially in various fields of technology, which can help deepen cooperation with different countries.”

For his part, Orlic conveyed the warm greetings of the president of his country, presented a report on the latest developments in the Balkans, and thanked Iran for its support for the establishment of peace and stability in this region.

Voicing his country’s interest in developing and increasing the level of trade relations with Iran, the speaker of the Serbian parliament stated, “We are not only ready to increase the level of cooperation, but we are also working to achieve this goal, and holding a joint commission between the two countries will definitely be effective in strengthening and expanding relations, especially in the economic field.”

Speaking to reporters at a press conference on Monday, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said the US government lacks the necessary resolve to finalize the exchange of prisoners with Iran.

Iran has always been serious about the prisoner swap issue considering the importance that it attaches to the fate of its citizens, he underlined.

“The prolongation of this process, unfortunately, results from the US government’s lack of resolve,” Kanaani stated.

Asked about the media stories on the arrest of a fourth American national in Iran, the spokesman said he would neither confirm nor comment on such speculations.

He also highlighted the efforts made by certain governments that have good relations with both Iran and the US, reiterating that the completion of the prisoner swap depends on the US government’s political determination.

Iran and the US have conducted prisoner exchanges twice in the past, once in January 2016 when the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was implemented, and again in December 2019.

Secretary of Iran’s Supreme Council of Free and Special Economic Zones Hojjatollah Abdolmaleki said on Friday that the prime minister of Iraq has proposed a region in the Arab country’s Wasit governorate for the joint free trade zone, which is located in the vicinity of Mehran border crossing in Iran’s western province of Ilam.

The feasibility studies for the launch of the joint free trade zone are underway, he added.

The first joint free trade zone between Iran and Iraq will become operational by the end of the current Iranian year (March 2024), Abdolmaleki added, noting that Iraq can export its products to the other parts of the world through Iran and have access to the Indian Ocean and international waters via Iran’s free and special economic zones.

Giant steps have been taken to bolster economic ties between Iran and Iraq, he concluded.

The ministry said in a statement on Friday that the oil cargo of MT Arman 114, which has been seized by Indonesia on suspicion of involvement in illegal transshipment of crude oil, does not belong to the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The Oil Ministry added that the reports claiming that Iran is in possession of the oil tanker’s cargo have no authenticity and have been released for the purpose of spreading negative propaganda against Iran.

On July 11, Indonesia’s coast guard said it had seized an Iranian-flagged supertanker suspected of involvement in the illegal transshipment of crude oil.

The MT Arman 114 was carrying 272,569 metric tons of light crude oil, valued at $304 million, when it was seized on July 7, Reuters quoted the Indonesian authorities as saying.

The vessel was reportedly captured after being spotted in Indonesia’s North Natuna Sea, carrying out a ship-to-ship oil transfer with the Cameroon-flagged MT S Tinos.

During a meeting with resident foreign ambassadors and diplomats in Poland, Baqeri highlighted the effectiveness of Iran’s strategic neighborly policy, stating that it enhances bilateral political relations with neighboring countries.

He listed the essential elements of Iran’s strategic neighborly policy as follows: “mutual political trust,” “reliance on regional capacities to address issues,” “utilization of cross-regional potentials for development and progress,” and ultimately, “enhancement of economic ties,” adding that institutionalizing economic cooperation and promoting investment and trade development among regional countries are among the most significant elements of such a policy.

Regarding the revival of relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia, the Iranian diplomat stated that the strategic initiative taken by Tehran and Riyadh demonstrates that regional countries possess the necessary political maturity to solve internal issues within the region.

Baqeri also mentioned the positive response from all political actors to the Iran-Saudi agreement, except for the Zionist regime of Israel, which could not hide its concern and distress, as its nature is built on tension and instability, making it the sole factor of insecurity and turmoil in the region.

In response to a question from one of the ambassadors about NATO’s role in the region, Baqeri stated that NATO’s presence in Afghanistan has proven that it not only fails to establish security but also acts as a promoter of insecurity.

He added that the consequence of twenty years of NATO’s presence in Afghanistan was a 45-fold increase in drug production in that country.

During the gathering, attended by ambassadors and diplomats from Asia and Europe, several ambassadors also expressed their opinions.