Iranian news agency talks on President Khatami's tour

Iranian President Muhammad Khatami will start an Arab tour on May 13, the first of its kind following his election as president of Iran in May 1997.

The Iranian news agency IRNA said on Monday that Syria will be the Iranian's president first leg in this tour, due to the remarkable relations between the two countries which are considered an integrated example for relations that have to be followed between Iran and the other Arab states.

In its commentary on this visit, the Iranian news agency said that Iran, since the victory of the Iranian revolution in 1979, has been boycotted by most of the Arab states as a result of rumors promoted by the west, especially the US, falsely accusing Iran of backing terrorism and of constituting a danger to the countries of the region.

The Iranian agency added that the US imposed on Iran a war which lasted for eight years, and the aim behind it was to prove the lies that "Iran is the enemy of the Arabs."

The Iranian agency added that the visit of President Khatami to Syria, Saudi Arabia and Qatar will be a great defiance and a hard blow for the "One pole System" the US intends to impose on the whole world, adding that the current tour by President Khatami may constitute the proper solid ground in confrontation of dangers of the new world order in all its political, cultural and social implications and trends.