TEHRAN (Iran News) TEHRAN – In a blend of flavors and diplomacy, ambassadors from ASEAN nations swapped their formal roles for aprons at the “ASEAN Crab Event” hosted at the Malaysian Embassy in Tehran. The event celebrated Malaysia’s upcoming chairmanship of ASEAN in 2025 and spotlighted the diverse culinary heritage of Southeast Asia.

Four ambassadors from the ASEAN region showcased their unique cultural identities by preparing crab dishes emblematic of their home countries. Guests, including Iranian officials, diplomats, and food enthusiasts, were taken on a culinary journey as the ambassadors shared stories about the cultural roots and significance of each recipe.

“This event epitomizes ASEAN’s core value: unity in diversity,” said Ambassador Khairi bin Omar of Malaysia. “Through food, we share our stories, foster understanding, and strengthen bonds with our Iranian hosts.”

The lively gathering transformed the embassy into a culinary and cultural hub, filled with the aroma of freshly cooked crab and the buzz of conversation. Attendees were not just passive spectators but active participants, tasting the vibrant flavors and engaging with the narratives behind the dishes.

The ASEAN Crab Event aimed to go beyond a mere display of culinary skills. It was a testament to how cultural diplomacy can serve as a bridge between nations, fostering deeper connections through shared experiences. With Malaysia set to lead ASEAN next year, the event also underscored the bloc’s ongoing efforts to promote regional cooperation and cultural exchange.

One attendee captured the essence of the event, remarking, “Today, we didn’t just enjoy delicious food; we experienced the spirit of ASEAN.”

As the evening concluded, the event left a lasting impression, highlighting how the universal language of food can strengthen international ties and bring cultures closer together.

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Ambassador Boroujerdi and Kao met at the ASEAN Secretariat on Monday.

Kao extended congratulations to Ambassador Boroujerdi on his recent appointment, marking the commencement of discussions about the imperative to enhance collaboration between ASEAN and Iran.

Both parties conveyed eagerness to fortify cooperation in areas of mutual interest, exploring potential avenues within frameworks such as ASEAN-Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) and ASEAN-Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

Formed in 1967, ASEAN is a political and economic union of 10 states in Southeast Asia including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. The regional organization aims to promote economic and security cooperation among its members. ASEAN has played a central role in Asian economic integration, joining negotiations to form the world’s largest free trade agreement and signing six free trade deals with other economies in the region. The group also regularly engages other countries in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.

In June of 2023, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi held a meeting with ASEAN Secretary-General during his trip to Jakarta. During the meeting, Raisi emphasized the imperative to pursue the objectives set for the expansion of bilateral cooperation between Iran and ASEAN.

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“The IIBF is smaller compared to the Tehran International Book Fair,” Mohammad Boroujerdi said adding that Iran has a regional brand in the field of book fairs, which provides an opportunity for cooperation between the two countries in the field of publishing and books, SNN reported on Friday.

“The key point is that in order to cooperate with Indonesia, we must translate our books to Indonesian language, and if doing so, we will definitely have more audiences in Indonesia as the largest Islamic country and the fourth most populous country in the world,” he noted.

“The Indonesian language is not only limited to this country, but more than 400 million people in the world speak Indonesian, and entering Indonesia is entering the ASEAN region, which has a population of about 800 million people. We can look at this region as an 800-million book market,” the ambassador stressed.

Boroujerdi expressed hope that Indonesia will attend the Tehran International Book Fair as the Guest of Honor in the future editions.

Iran ‎Book and Literature House represents Iran’s publishing industry at the fair, presenting over 350 titles on various subjects of Iranology, religion, the Sacred Defense, classic and contemporary Persian literature, children and young adults, and titles written by the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The displayed Iranian books are mostly in English, Arabic and some have been translated into Indonesian as well.

Opened on September 27, the 43rd Indonesia International Book Fair is underway at the Indonesia Convention Exhibition (ICE) BSD City, Tangerang Regency. A total of 150 publishers from Indonesia and over 25 countries including have attended the fair that will conclude on October 1.

This year’s event carries the tagline “Now is the Time to Read”. South Korea is the Guest of Honor country at IIBF 2023.

In addition to Iran and South Korea, countries such as China, Turkey, Thailand and the UAE have presented their latest publications at the exhibition.

It was initially established in 1980 under the name of the Indonesia Book Fair. To reach a bigger audience, in 2014 Indonesia Book Fair became Indonesia International Book Fair.

An annual book exhibition organized by the Indonesian Publishers Association, the IIBF is a meeting point, a strategic and prestigious event for exhibitors to promote literature, art, culture, and all other creative content, through rights licensing and other means of cooperation. IIBF invites more than 100 speakers and holds 50 series of events throughout the fair.

IIBF is a hybrid book fair. It is a mix of B to B and B to C book fair, and it is enriched by some cultural and educational programs. IIBF helps participants to meet their goals and to meet potential business partners as Indonesia is the largest market of books and literature in South East Asia.

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TEHRAN (Iran News) –  Secretary of ASEAN desk at the Iran Trade Promotion Organization says Iran’s exports to the ASEAN countries in the first five months of the current year have increased by 48 percent.

Mohsen Rezaee Pour said that according to the released data from Iran Customs Administration, Iran’s exports to 10 member states of the ASEAN have grown by 48 percent and hit $1.076b in the first five months.

He said that Thailand has been the major destination for Iran’s exports in this bloc as goods worth of $266.3m have been exported to this country which shows 88 percent growth comparing to the same period last year.

He noted that iron ingot, steel structures, and bitumen have been of the major commodities exported to Thailand.

Rezaee Pour added that in the same period Indonesia was the second destination for Iran’s exports to ASEAN as the country exported goods worth of $227m to Indonesia which shows 29 percent growth.

He said Iran’s trade with the ASEAN states and concurrent with the reimposition of sanctions have started downward trend, adding that the total trade with the ASEAN bloc was $3b last year and it is expected the figure to rise by the yearend.

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According to the Secretary of the ASEAN trade promotion Desk at the Trade Promotion Organization (TPO) Mohsen Rezaei-Pour, the Islamic Republic’s export to the mentioned union reached $1.076 billion in the said five months.

The official noted that Thailand was the top export destination for Iranian goods among the ASEAN member states in the mentioned five months, importing 395,000 tons of commodities worth $266 million.

As reported, exports to Thailand rose 88 percent in terms of value compared to the same period last year.

The top exported items to Thailand include steel ingots, steel sections, zinc, chicken viscera, bitumen, and Vaseline, Rezaei-Pour said.

During the period under review, Indonesia was Iran’s second-largest export destination in this union; the Islamic Republic exported 352,000 tons of goods worth $227 million to this country, according to the official.

The exports to Indonesia increased by 29 percent in terms of value compared to the same period last year, however, the figure decreased by 30 percent in terms of weight.

Rezaei-Pour put the country’s trade with the ASEAN union in the previous Iranian calendar year (ended on March 20) at $3 billion, saying that the increase in exports in the mentioned five months is an indication that the level of trade with the union is expected to follow an upward trend in the current year.

He pointed out that Iran’s top imported items from this union include sugarcane, palm oil, soybeans, food products, rice, home appliances, medium-density fiber, and mobile phones.

ASEAN is an economic union comprising 10 member states in Southeast Asia, which promotes intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates economic, political, security, military, educational, and sociocultural integration among its members and other countries in Asia.

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“A 19-member delegation of cultural officials, mayors, and artisans from Iran, which [currently] has the topmost number of world crafts cities and villages left for China last night to attend the World Craft Cities Network Forum,” IRIB quoted deputy tourism minister Pouya Mahmoudian as saying on Monday.

“The delegation is composed of the mayors of Marivan, Lalejin, Meybod, Sirjan, and Saravan (who represents Kalporgan village), nine craftspeople and four officials in charge of cultural heritage and handicrafts,” she added.

The first leg of the forum is being held in Exi, China, on November 4 to 6, while the second is scheduled to take place in Kuching, Malaysia, she noted.

The World Crafts Cities Network Forum will be held in conjunction with the Ninth World Eco Fibre and Textile (WEFT) Forum, Exhibition, and Fashion Show; and ASEAN Handicraft Promotion and Development Association (Ahpada).

The WEFT Forum was initiated by Society Atelier Sarawak in 1999 and has been a biennial event, with the objectives to promote, share and acquire knowledge on the use of natural fibers and dyes; to conserve and encourage the use of natural, sustainable material in the creation of arts and crafts; and to network amongst natural-material producers and the craftspeople through the establishment of an information database.

The World Crafts Council – Asia Pacific Region (WCC-APR) has also designated other Iranian cities such as Mashhad, Isfahan, and Tabriz as world crafts hubs.

Handicrafts exports form the Islamic Republic reached $289 million in the past Iranian calendar year 1397 (ended March 20), showing three percent growth year on year, Mahmoudian said in June.

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Following are excerpts of his remarks at the event:

“In the Name of God;

In an era when multilateralism is at stake, and while unilateralism is destroying our achievements of the past seven decades, observing the success of ASEAN, which has brought together some major Asian countries, is a sign of hope.

ASEAN is composed of people who can think of a better future, not only for their own citizens, but also for the citizens of the global community.

ASEAN is celebrating its 52nd birthday today, providing a valuable lesson about gathering around and synergy for progress together with each other.

ASEAN is a good example that we can act better, either collectively or individually, particularly for us in this region where some have tried to purchase security from abroad and rely on foreign countries.

I paid a visit to Singapore to sign the document on Iran’s membership in the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, which is a good sign and testimony of our willingness to cooperate with the Asian friends.

We are interested in expanding the grounds for cooperation with the ASEAN member states. We are also willing to promote cooperation between regional organizations, such as ASEAN and ECO.

I want to tell the friends and the neighbors that there is nothing to prevent our cooperation and partnership. Nothing could hinder our bonds for cooperation. We must know that others would never protect us, and could never ensure our security either. ASEAN is a good and successful example for us and for the neighbors to learn a lesson that we can shape a better future for the people and the region with cooperation and commitment.

It is important to show that self-esteem and working with own people have always proved more successful.

We in Iran have great respect for the ASEAN countries. We respect your successes. If you want to be respected, you must respect yourself, and ASEAN is a good example of respect for self. We seek to promote cooperation with the ASEAN in all fields.

We are keen to become ASEAN’s partner for dialogue. We want to announce that the Islamic Republic of Iran looks for cooperation and reaching the dialogue partnership stage.

We believe that we can forge a real partnership with ASEAN.”

ASEAN is a political and economic organization of ten countries located in Southeast Asia. It was formed on August 8, 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Since then, membership has expanded to include Brunei, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.

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With Iranian Expediency Council approving the TAC (the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia) on Saturday, Iran joined the international agreement.

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