South Korea and Iran will hold working-level talks in Tehran next week to discuss their economic ties and the implementation of international sanctions against North Korea, a government official said Wednesday.

The fourth round of director-general level talks between the two countries will take place next Wednesday as South Korea pushes to capitalize on new business opportunities that have arisen after the lifting of international sanctions on Tehran.

The meeting will also touch on issues related to North Korea amid reports that officials from a blacklisted North Korean company visited Iran following the U.N. Security Council's adoption of toughened sanctions against Pyongyang, according to the official.

"That issue is expected to be on the agenda," the official told Yonhap News Agency, speaking on customary condition of anonymity.

Senior officials of the Korea Mining Development Trading Corp. reportedly visited Iran earlier this month after the U.N. Security Council slapped sanctions on Pyongyang to punish the regime for its fourth nuclear test in January and long-range rocket launch in February.

Although the purpose of the officials' trip remains unclear, experts have suggested efforts to minimize the sanctions' impact on North Korea's missile exports to Iran.

Iran and North Korea have long been suspected of trade in missiles and nuclear weapons.

Next week's talks will also cover a wide range of bilateral and global issues, such as cooperation on development and planning for high-level visits. Talks have been under way to arrange a visit to Iran by President Park Geun-hye this year.

The meeting will be led by Kwon Hee-seog, director-general of the Foreign Ministry's African and Middle Eastern Affairs Bureau, and his Iranian counterpart, Mahmoud Farazandeh. (Yonhap)