Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif arrived in Nigeria on Monday, as the first destination of his six-day tour of West Africa.
Heading a high-ranking politico-economic delegation, Zarif left Tehran for the Nigerian capital Abuja on Sunday evening, Tasnim News Agency reported.
During his stay in Abuja, the top Iranian diplomat was scheduled to hold meetings with senior Nigerian officials, including Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama, to discuss issues of mutual interest.
Zarif’s four-nation tour of West Africa is aimed at boosting diplomatic and trade relations with African states. After Nigeria, he will visit Ghana, Guinea-Conakry and Mali. Back in February 2015, Zarif took another tour of Africa and travelled to Kenya, Uganda, Burundi and Tanzania at the head of a top-level political and economic delegation.
President Hassan Rouhani, who took office in August 2013, has repeatedly stressed his government’s interest in upgrading ties with the black continent.
