Iran FM: Somali president to visit Iran soon

Foreign Minister of Iran Ali-Akbar Salehi said here Tuesday that the president of Somalia would visit Iran in a near future. Speaking to reporters at the Mogadishu airport upon his arrival, Salehi said the Somali president would discuss with senior Iranian officials ways to dispatch further humanitarian aid to the famine-stricken people in the African state. Iran has started sending humanitarian relief for the famine and drought-sricken African country since 20 days ago, Salehi said adding that six planeloads of humanitarian aid have so far reached the drought-stricken areas and refugee camps in Somalia. The Iranian foreign minister further said that Tehran was planned to send another 5,000-ton cargo to Somali via ships in the future. Upon his arrival in Mogadishu, Salehi was welcomed by his Somali counterpart and the interior minister of that country. He departed Tehran for Mogadishu early on Tuesday to review critical situation of people in the famine-stricken country.