Jakarta (ANTARA) – The governments of Indonesia and the Islamic Republic of Iran have established cooperation in halal products assurance (JPH) through the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU).

The MoU was signed by the Indonesian Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs, Zainut Tauhid Sa’adi, and the Iranian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Economic Diplomacy, Mahdi Safari.

“On behalf of the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs, I warmly welcome the signing of the MoU on halal product assurance cooperation between Indonesia and Iran,” Sa’adi said in a statement received here on Tuesday.

The MoU was signed during an official visit by the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi, who was received by Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) at Bogor Palace on Tuesday.

According to Sa’adi, his ministry is supporting strengthened cooperation in halal products at the global level since Indonesia is aiming to become the No. 1 producer of halal products in the world.

To realize this goal, cooperation and product guarantee synergy are needed among all stakeholders at the global level, he said.

“We hope that this MoU can strengthen the intended synergy so that Indonesia and Iran can become important players in the industry and global market for halal products,” he added.

Sa’adi said he hopes that the halal product cooperation would increase trade transactions for halal products and support efforts to provide economic benefits and strengthen prosperity for both countries.

Meanwhile, head of the Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH), Muhammad Aqil Irham, said that Iran is the sixth country that has signed an MoU on halal products assurance with Indonesia.

Five countries have inked such MoUs with Indonesia earlier: Chile, Argentina, Hungary, Belarus, and Turkey.

“Furthermore, we will immediately follow up on this G-to-G (government-to-government) MoU by discussing a Mutual Recognition Agreement or MRA between BPJPH and halal institutions in Iran to form a mutual acceptance of BPJPH’s halal certificates and halal institutions in Iran on a reciprocal basis,” Irham stated.