Italian prime minister to visit Iran

Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi will visit Tehran next week in the first visit by a western country's prime minister to Iran since the Islamic revolution in 1979. The visit was described as being political.

An Iranian source told ArabicNews.com that the Italian prime minister is arriving next Wednesday morning for a two-day visit, during which he will meet with Iranian President Mohammed Khatami, Vice-President Hassan Ebrahim Habibi and ex-Iranian president Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.

The source added, "The talks will tackle methods of increasing commercial exchange and improving bilateral relations between the two countries," as well as between the European Union and Iran.

He said his country has great hopes for the visit and that it will feature direct talks, confirming that his country will not give up its previous stable situation.

Italy supports discussion with Iran and not isolating a political country in the Middle East, and said that the visit is for understanding the current changes in the Iranian policy.