Tehran Mayor and Spanish Ambassador Discuss Expansion of Urban Cooperation

Spanish Ambassador to Iran Antonio Sánchez Benedito Gaspar met with Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani to explore opportunities for enhancing cooperation between the capitals of Iran and Spain.

At the beginning of the meeting, Zakani expressed hope that the talks would pave the way for greater collaboration between the two countries - particularly between Tehran, Madrid, and Barcelona. He noted that these major cities have wide capacities for partnership that can be shared and developed, The Caspian Post reports citing Mehr news.

Explaining Tehran’s urban management model, the mayor said the city administration aims to govern with the participation of citizens and to promote sustainable development across the capital.

Zakani added that “the Islamic Republic of Iran does not view all European countries in the same way. Naturally, we do not trust countries such as France, Germany, and the United Kingdom that have adopted hostile policies toward us, but we are keen to expand cooperation with other nations, including Spain.”

Ambassador Sánchez-Benedito Gaspar, for his part, emphasized the longstanding and respectful relations between Spain and Iran. He said, “Even during the challenges Iran faced last year, while some European countries closed their embassies, Spain’s embassy in Tehran remained open and active. We are ready for dialogue with Iran both in times of crisis and calm.”

The ambassador added that since the beginning of his mission in Tehran, he has held constructive engagements with various Iranian institutions in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and that his meeting with the mayor falls within this framework.

Highlighting opportunities for urban and technical cooperation, the Spanish envoy said, “We can achieve valuable initiatives through interaction between Tehran, Madrid, and Barcelona. On behalf of the Spanish government, I express our readiness to pursue joint projects.”

Referring to Tehran’s priorities in developing public transportation, Gaspar mentioned that reputable Spanish companies - such as Citron, which specializes in metro tunnel construction - could contribute to potential joint ventures.

He reaffirmed Spain’s interest in facilitating cooperation between Spanish companies and the Tehran Municipality.