New Zealand is keen to further develop trade ties with Iran, the primary industries minister in Wellington said on Monday, adding bilateral relations had warmed since international sanctions against Tehran were eased. Nathan Guy visited Iran at the weekend, overseeing an agreement to enable the resumption of sheep and beef exports to the Islamic Republic. "We are very keen to do more business with Iran," Guy told Reuters in Dubai, calling it a "very important market."

Sanctions were eased after an accord was reached in 2015 on Iran's nuclear programme, at a time when New Zealand held the rotating presidency of the United Nations Security Council. Under President Donald Trump, the United States - a major trading partner of New Zealand - has taken a tougher stance on Iran, imposing sanctions this month after Tehran carried out a ballistic missile test.

Copyright Reuters, 2017