Iran’s President Ebrahim Raeisi has arrived in Kenya on the first leg of his three-nation tour of Africa aimed at expanding ties and signing multiple economic and cooperation agreements.
The president was greeted at the Nairobi airport Wednesday morning by Kenya's Foreign Secretary Alfred Mutua and later received an official welcome from his Kenyan counterpart, William Ruto, at the presidential palace.
A 21-gun salute was performed in honor of the Iranian president and his accompanying delegation.
Kenya - Iran Media Briefing, State House, Nairobi. https://t.co/U5seR3nLHb
— William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) July 12, 2023
President Raeisi is expected to hold a closed-door meeting with Ruto, followed by a series of meetings an talks held between Iranian and Kenyan delegations before signing multiple agreements on bilateral trade and cooperation.
The president’s three-day trip to Africa will also take him to Uganda and Zimbabwe.
I have this morning at JKIA received H.E. President Ebrahim Raisi of the Islamic Republic of Iran, who arrived in the country for a State Visit. pic.twitter.com/a00Juab9GK
— Dr. Alfred N. Mutua (@DrAlfredMutua) July 12, 2023
Before his departure, the Iranian chief executive expressed hope that good steps would be taken during the trip in various political, economic, commercial, scientific, technological and cultural fields.
“Contacts with African countries are today among the priorities of our foreign policy. The neighborliness policy and relations with Muslim and allied countries are among the issues of concern to the government,” he added.