Defense Minister in South Africa

Defense Minister Lieutenant General Hossein Dehqan left Tehran for Pretoria on Monday to hold talks with senior South African officials. Heading a delegation, Dehqan is visiting the African country at the official invitation of his South African counterpart, Nosiviwe Noluthando Mapisa-Nqakula, Tasnim News Agency reported. During his two-day trip, the defense chief is to hold meetings with senior officials of South Africa on bilateral, international and regional issues. An agreement on defense and military cooperation between the two countries is expected to be signed during the visit. President Hassan Rouhani, who took office in August 2013, has repeatedly stressed his administration's interest in boosting relations with African states. Back in April, South African President Jacob Zuma paid an official visit to Iran, during which the two sides signed a number of agreements to develop bilateral ties.