Belarusian President announces plans to visit Iran in near future
Alexander Lukashenko, the president of Peru, congratulates his Iranian counterpart on the 44th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic revolution and announces a visit to Iran soon.
-
Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko listens to questions during an interview with The Associated Press at the Independence Palace in Minsk, Belarus, Thursday, May 5, 2022. (AP)
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko revealed on Saturday plans to visit Iran in the near future in order to discuss pressing issues of mutual interest.
"I look forward to visiting Tehran in the near future and discussing relevant issues of bilateral, regional, and international agendas," Lukashenko said in his congratulatory message to Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on the occasion of the 44th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran.
The Belarusian leader noted the importance of the two countries' meetings within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and stated that September's SCO summit in Samarkand had given a strong impetus to the cooperation between Iran and Belarus in several areas.
Read: Iran's membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization official
"At all times, Belarus has remained close to Iran, stayed faithful to friendship and equal dialogue, and has been committed to the implementation of the agreements reached," Lukashenko added.
On Friday, Iranian Ambassador to Minsk Saeed Yari said that Tehran and Minsk were working on organizing Lukashenko's visit to Iran in the first half of March.
It is worth noting that at the end of October, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf called for the boosting of ties with Belarus, as it would help mitigate the impact of the sanctions imposed on Iran by the United States and its allies.
During a meeting with Belarus Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei and his accompanying delegation in Tehran, Ghalibaf underlined that the countries, both of which are under pressure by US and Western sanctions, should band together.
Belarus is trying to counter Western sanctions and pressure, and it is trying to act independently on its domestic and foreign policy fronts, Makei said.
The Belarusian top diplomat revealed that Minsk has been trying to establish a strategic partnership with Iran, praising the Islamic Republic's regional role and calling it an important country in Asia.
The two top officials also touched on the parliamentary relations between the two countries and economic cooperation in Central Asia.
Read: Raisi tells Belarus president Iran eager to strengthen ties
