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14 November 2012 - 19:28

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi, who arrived in Somalia on Wednesday, announced that he will reopen the Islamic Republic embassy in the capital Mogadishu during his current visit to the African country.

Speaking in a meeting with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud in Mogadishu on Wednesday, Salehi said that Tehran is ready to supply the Somali government and nation with humanitarian aid, and announced that he would inaugurate an Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRSC) building in the famine-hit country during his current visit.

The Iranian minister also declared that he plans to reopen Tehran's embassy in Mogadishu during the visit.

Salehi also conveyed President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's letter of invitation to Sheikh Mahmoud to travel to Tehran.

President Sheikh Mahmoud said Salehi's visit to Mogadishu and the reopening of the Iranian embassy is indicative of the good relations between the two countries.

He thanked President Ahmadinejad for inviting him to Iran, and said that he would travel to Tehran at an appropriate time.

Salehi left Tehran on an African tour on Monday to visit Central Africa, Kenya, Somalia, Djibouti and Ethiopia.

The Iranian foreign minister is also scheduled to take part in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) ministerial meeting in the East African country of Djibouti.

Iran is also an observing member of the African Union (AU) and has shown an active presence in previous AU summit meetings.

The country is considered as one of the AU's strategic partners along with India, Japan, China, several South American states and Turkey, while Tehran is also believed to be prioritizing promotion of its economic and political ties with the African states.

irna/281

News ID 183363