Iranian president embarks on three-leg tour of Africa

TEHRAN,April 15(MNA) – Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Tuesday embarked on his tour of West Africa, which will take him to Benin, Niger, and Ghana. Before leaving Tehran, Ahmadinejad told reporters that the expansion of ties with African countries is one of Iran’s foreign policy priorities. He said that he had been officially invited to visit the three countries, adding that during his visits a number of memorandums of understanding would be signed to enhance bilateral cooperation in economic, energy, tourism, and health care sectors. Ahmadinejad added that he would meet African officials and intellectuals during his stay in the black continent.