Iran president visits three central Asian states for closer ties

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday started his tour to three Caucasian and central Asian states, Armenia's Yerevan Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, Press TV reported.

A high-ranking political and economic delegation is accompanying Rouhani to discuss ways of improving mutual relations.

Ties with the three countries are highly important to Iran in the light of mutually-beneficial economic potentials, Rouhani said upon his departure.

"We are pursuing economic relations featuring preferential tariffs and ultimately free trade with these countries," Rouhani was quoted as saying.

Cooperation with the three countries will contribute to the Islamic republic's national security, Rouhani said, adding that talks with these countries will also focus on the issues of terrorism and insecurity in the region as well as unity among the nations concerning regional issues.

During his day-long visit to Armenia's capital Yerevan on Wednesday, Rouhani will hold talks with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan on the expansion of cooperation, and senior Iranian and Armenian officials will sign several trade and economic cooperation documents.

Rouhani will then leave Yerevan to the Kazakh capital, Astana, for a one-day visit.

Rouhani is scheduled to meet with Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev and attend a joint press conference with him while high-ranking delegations of the two countries will hold a meeting and senior officials will sign documents for further cooperation.

On the last leg of his regional tour, Rouhani will head to Bishkek to hold talks with Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev and senior officials of the country.

Iranian and Kyrgyz officials will sign agreements to improve cooperation in different fields while business people from the two countries will attend a meeting. Endit