Iran ready to mediate between Chad, Sudan: Haddad-Adel

Khartoum, 2008 Feb 3, IRNA 

Iran's Majlis Speaker, Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel here on Saturday evening voiced Tehran's readiness to make peace efforts to help establish tranquility between Chad and Sudan.

He made the remarks in a meeting with his Sudanese counterpart Ahmad Ebrahim al-Taher.

"Iran's strategic policy is aimed at bolstering ties with African states, including Sudan," he said referring to Sudan as a "major Islamic country".

Praising Sudan's realistic position regarding Iran's peaceful nuclear program, Haddad-Adel said Khartoum has always supported Tehran's logical stand regarding its nuclear program.

"Iran will defend its legitimate rights and will not yield to Western pressures," he reiterated.

Haddad-Adel further appreciated Sudan's all-out support for the Islamic Republic of Iran following the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

He expressed the hope that Sudanese government's efforts to end north-south conflict would bear fruit.

For his part, al-Taher announced his country's interest in investment of Iranian companies in Sudan.

He stressed that cooperation among Muslim states would strengthen Islam in the world.

The Sudanese parliament speaker then appreciated Iran's political and economic assistance to his country in the past few years.

Haddad-Adel arrived in Khartoum Saturday evening from Egypt on the second leg of his two-nation African tour.

The speaker's two-day visit to Sudan is taking place at the official invitation of his counterpart.

He is to confer with President of Sudan Hassan Omar Ahmad al-Bashir and other senior officials of the country as well as the cultural figures and academics.