OPR -  Thursday, 11th  October, 2007

President Eddie Fenech Adami was presented with Letters of Credence by H.E. Mr Abolfazl Zohrevand, Ambassador of Iran and H.E. Mr. Douglas Frederick Lawrence Markes, High Commissioner for New Zealand

Both ceremonies took place in the Ambassadors’ Room at The Palace, Valletta.

In the afternoon, the President of Malta and Mrs Fenech Adami hosted the newly accredited Ambassadors to an official luncheon at San Anton Palace.

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Profile: H.E. Mr Abolfazl Zohrevand, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran

The Ambassador was born in April 1959. He is a graduate in Economy.

In 1983 he started working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Between 1984 – 1989 he was responsible for evaluation/political and administrative affairs within the same Ministry. In 1990 he worked in the Embassy of Iran in Niger as Charges d’Affaires and a year later he became deputy head at the Evaluations Office.

He had various high ranking positions such as General Consul at Afghanistan (1993 – 1997), Counsellor of the Vice Minister for Asia and Oceania (1997 – 2000), Author and executor of the project for Peace in Cyprus (1999 – 2001), High Official within the Strategical Programmes Centre (2000 – 2001) and a year later he was an expert for political affairs and member of the Governmental Political Commission within the Presidency of the Republic.

The Ambassador served as expert for political affairs within: the Secretary office Supreme Guide of the Islamic Revolution (2002 – 2005); and the Political Committee of the Secretary for the Discernment Council (2004 – 2005).  He is also an expert on political affairs and counsellor of the Vice Minister for Europe and the Americas.

H.E. Mr. Zohrevand is married with three children.

President Fenech Adami presented with credentials by Ambassador Zohrevand

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Profile: H.E. Douglas Frederick Lawrence Markes, High Commissioner for New Zealand - Born in August 1948.

He obtained a B.A. Hons from the Keele University in England and a certificate in Accounting Analysis from the Victoria University, Wellington.

His diplomatic career started in the year 1972 when he joined The Treasury in Wellington as an Investigating Officer.  In 1975 he joined United Nations Division in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where he then worked within the Asian Division (1976) and the Economic Division (1977).

The High Commissioner was posted in the New Zealand Embassy in Rome between 1977 – 1981. During the period 1981 – 84 he worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as Assistant Head of the European Division. In 1984 he then served as Assistant Head for the Middle East and the Africa Division within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 1987 he became Deputy High Commissioner and Counsellor at the New Zealand High Commission in New Delhi. Back in New Zealand in 1989 he was appointed as Deputy Director at the Economics Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The High Commissioner occupied various high ranking positions such as: Ambassador, New Zealand at the Embassy in Tehran (1990 – 1993), Ambassador, New Zealand Embassy in Mexico (1993 – 1997), Ambassador New Zealand Embassy in Riyadh (1999 – 2003) and High Commissioner, New Zealand High Commission in Papua New Guinea (2003 – 2006). 

President Fenech Adami with the High Commissioner of New Zealand