Rouhani Plans 3-Nation Tour

President Hassan Rouhani plans to go on a tour of the Caucasus and Central Asia in the near future, which will take him to Armenia, then Kazakhstan and finally Kyrgyzstan. The news was first announced last month by Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi who said Rouhani would make the trip as part of the Islamic Republic's policy to draw on its commonalities with its northern neighbors to help deepen bilateral relations. Rouhani is traveling to Armenia at the invitation of his Armenian counterpart, Serzh Sargsyan, Fars News Agency reported on Tuesday. Qasemi said, "We have good relations with our northern neighbors… Armenia has a special position among our neighbors, although it is not a Muslim neighbor. It means we need to engage in closer cooperation."