Jakarta, Oct. 16 -- Indonesia and Iran signed a joint plan of action on Thursday to deepen bilateral cooperation in developing their halal product ecosystems, with a primary focus on halal food and safety standards, officials said Friday.

The agreement was executed by head of Indonesia's Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH) Ahmad Haikal Hassan and Iran's ambassador to Indonesia Mohammad Boroujerdi.

"The step is part of BPJPH's strategy to expand international halal recognition and cooperation, opening greater opportunities for Indonesian products on a global scale and strengthening Indonesia's position as the epicenter of halal products," Hassan said in a statement.

He added that the partnership aims to enhance global trust, bolster ...