Iran has not too long ago stepped up its diplomatic efforts in growing international locations, with visits to Latin America and now Africa.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Wednesday gave a crimson carpet welcome to Kenyan President William Ruto as he begins a three-nation African tour that Tehran has touted as a “new starting” in relations with the continent. I acquired it.
Raisi’s Africa journey will even embody visits to Uganda and Zimbabwe, the primary by an Iranian president in additional than a decade, and is aimed toward diversifying financial ties within the face of crippling sanctions from the United States.
The go to, which was scheduled to start on Tuesday, was delayed by a day to finalize a memorandum of understanding that Raisi and Ruto had been scheduled to signal, Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.
Ministers from Iran and Kenya signed 5 memorandums of understanding on Wednesday on info expertise, fisheries, livestock merchandise and funding promotion, the federal government introduced.
Raisi, who has beforehand described Africa as a “continent of alternative,” stated at a press convention after his assembly with Ruto that he needs to strengthen commerce ties with African international locations.
“No one is happy with the present quantity of commerce or financial exchanges between international locations,” he stated.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry stated on Saturday that it expects commerce with African international locations to extend to greater than $2 billion this yr, however didn’t present comparative figures for 2022.
Kenya’s president stated he sought Mr. Raisi’s dedication to facilitate exports of Kenyan tea, meat and different agricultural merchandise to and thru Iran to Central Asian international locations.
Protests are anticipated to proceed Wednesday within the capital, Nairobi, and elsewhere as Kenya struggles with debt and hovering residing prices underneath Ruto’s authorities.
After then-President Donald Trump deserted the nuclear deal and reimposed sanctions in 2018, Iran stepped up its diplomatic outreach to growing international locations. Raisi visited Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua in June, stepping up assist for allies additionally affected by U.S. sanctions.
Raisi will subsequent fly to Uganda to debate commerce and bilateral relations with President Yoweri Museveni earlier than heading to Zimbabwe.
The final African go to by an Iranian chief was in 2013 by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.