Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called for enhanced collaboration between the Islamic republic and the African state of Burundi, Press TV reported on Wednesday. In a Tuesday meeting with visiting Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza and his accompanying delegation in Tehran, Ahmadinejad described the visit by his counterpart as a major step toward the development of friendly ties between the two nations, said the report. Emphasizing that there are many grounds for the expansion of bilateral relations between Iran and Burundi, the Iranian president added that the two countries can closely cooperate in the fields of agriculture, industry, trade, education, health, culture and politics. Ahmadinejad said that in terms of culture and political principles, the Islamic republic and Burundi belong to the same front. For his part, the Burundian president pointed to the steady expansion of ties between his country and Iran in recent years and said the presence of him and the accompanying delegation in Tehran reflects the solidification of mutual cooperation between the two countries in various fields, according to Press TV. Burundi was determined to expand the level of its "constructive ties" with the Islamic republic in all fields, he added. Burundian president arrived here on Tuesday for talks to boost bilateral relations with Iran. During his three-day state visit, he is also expected to meet with Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Xinhua
