TEHRAN, March 16 (MNA) – Zimbabwe’s Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development has praised the progress made by Iranian women and the measures taken by the Iranian government to empower women in the country.“I am delighted with the progress made by Iranian women, and the measures taken by the government to empower women have astounded me”, Monica Mutsvangwa told Iran’s Vice-president for Women and Family Affairs Ensiyeh Khazali.

The two officials met in New York City Friday night on the sidelines of the 68th annual session of the Commission on the Status of Women taking place from March 11-22.

The Zimbabwean minister also said that the unjust and unilateral economic sanctions imposed by Western states against Iran and Zimbabwe have added to the pressure against women and girls in both countries.

She expressed hope that the two sides can cooperate on empowering women and creating jobs for them, saying that the Zimbabwean government attaches importance to establishing a safe environment for women to take part in social activities.

The Iranian vice-president, for her part, said that the two countries can cooperate on safeguarding moral values as part of efforts to protect girls in the face of threats posed by social relations.

She also invited Zimbabwe to join an initiative proposed by the Iranian president at the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly last year, which she said aims to protect families.

Also during their talks, the two officials touched on the situation of Palestinian women in Gaza, and demanded an end to the Israeli regime’s crimes against the people of the besieged territory.

MNA/IRN