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Iran's President Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi will jet into Zimbabwe Thursday to meet his counterpart Emmerson Mnangagwa for talks aimed at strengthening the two countries' relationship.
Raisi's trip to Africa, which will also take him to Uganda and Kenya, is the first by an Iranian president in over a decade.
Raisi's country, which is under heavy U.S. economic sanctions, seeks to deepen partnerships around the world.
In a statement Friday, Foreign Affairs ministry spokesperson Livit Mugejo said during the one-day state visit, several deals will be signed between the two countries.
"During the state visit, H.E. Dr. Raisi is scheduled to hold bilateral discussions with his counterpart and President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, H.E. Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa.
"During the visit, several MoUs are expected to be signed as the two nations deepen their ties.
"Zimbabwe and Iran established diplomatic relations in February 1983. Over the years, our bilateral ties have grown tremendously, underpinned by our shared aspirations and mutual support including at the international level," the statement reads.
Added the statement: "Under the Second Republic, Zimbabwe has dispatched several high-level delegations to Iran, as part of efforts to consolidate our gains, while leveraging on the existing, solid political foundation.
"Similarly, Iran has also sent several high-level missions to Zimbabwe in the spirit of growing relations further.
"It is instructive that the state visit comes against the backdrop of the eighth and ninth sessions of the Zimbabwe-Iran Joint Permanent Commission on Cooperation (JPCC), held in August 2022 in Harare and Tehran in February 2023 respectively.
"At these two JPCCs, Zimbabwe and Iran committed to intensify cooperation across various sectors including trade, commerce, agriculture, mining, health and energy among others.
"The State Visit to Zimbabwe by H.E. Dr Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi will consolidate the gains of our longstanding relationship, in fulfillment of our win-win cooperation."
