In a meeting with Hamedan province officials, McKinon termed the participation of Iranian food importers and exporters in Montreal exhibition as a way of promoting trade cooperation between Iran and Canada.

He also pointed to the close relations between the chambers of commerce of the two countries and called on the Iranian private sector to take part actively in Canadian exhibitions in order to speed up the process of trade cooperation between the two countries.

"The province of Hamedan is active in agricultural field. Therefore, the province should make use of achievements and technologies of the University of Saskatchewan province in Canada to promote its potentials", McKinon stressed.

Referring to the community of Iranians living or studying in Canada, he reiterated that some 300,000 Iranian citizens residing in Canada could server as an appropriate bridge for broadening of Tehran-Ottawa relations.

He termed the mining sector as a potential area of cooperation between Iran and Canada, saying "the biggest mining companies around the world are Canadian. The duration of investment in mining sector leads to the continuation of mutual trade relations.

The Canadian diplomat underlined the importance of close relations between Iranian and Canadian universities.

"Since Bou-Ali Sina University is famous across the globe, I would like this university as well as the Islamic Azad University of Hamedan to establish relations with Canadian universities.

The province of Hamedan is located in western Iran.