Iran Economy Minister Heads for Belt and Road Summit

Iran’s Minister of Economy and Financial Affairs Ali Tayyebnia left Tehran for Beijing on Saturday to attend the so-called “One Belt, One Road” summit starting May 14. The two-day forum is dedicated to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s signature foreign policy project that aims to connect Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, IRNA reported. The scheme involves 65 countries, which together account for one-third of global GDP and 60% of the world’s population, or 4.5 billion people, according to Oxford Economics. China has touted the forum as the major international event of the year, in which 29 heads of state or government are expected to attend. International organizations will be represented too, with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, World Bank President Jim Yong-kim and Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund Christine Lagarde all set to attend.