Iranian FM to Start Tour of 3 Asian Countries in Coming Days

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi said on Wednesday that a high-ranking politico-economic delegation will accompany Zarif in his visits to India, China and Japan.

At the first leg of his official tour, the top Iranian diplomat will visit India to take part and deliver a speech at the Heart of Asia conference on the situation in Afghanistan, Press TV quoted Qassemi as saying on Wednesday.

The 6th Heart of Asia ministerial conference, scheduled for December 3-4, will discuss peace, cooperation and economic development in Afghanistan.

The forum also seeks to promote economic development and encourage cooperation in curbing drug trafficking and other organized crimes in the region.

Ministers from as many as 40 countries are expected to attend the event.

The last Heart of Asia ministerial meeting was held in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, in December 2015.

Zarif will then head to China for a visit at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi to hold talks with senior officials of the East Asian country and take part in joint business forums.

He will then leave China for Japan, where he is scheduled to sit down with senior Japanese officials, including Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, and attend joint economic seminars.

The delegation accompanying the Iranian foreign minister will include heads of 38 companies affiliated with the Iran Chamber of Commerce, representatives from 15 knowledge-based companies and eight commercial banks as well as a number of officials in the industrial, trade and scientific sectors.

In addition to bilateral relations, the Iranian foreign minister will also confer with senior Indian, Chinese and Japanese officials on regional and international developments.