The delayed arrival time by Iran President Ebrahim Raisi to Kenya has led to the rescheduling of the visit.
State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohammed on Tuesday told journalists who had arrived for a joint presser that the visit had been rescheduled but could not say when it will happen.
“There has been rescheduling of the visit. We cannot confirm to you the date but in the course of the day or tomorrow, we will have communicated when the visit will happen, The visit will happen but for now it has been rescheduled. It is not today,” Hussein said.
Reports indicate Raisi will arrive in Nairobi at 4pm.
He was set to tour Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe for three days, the first by an Iranian President to Africa in 11 years.
According to IRNA news agency, the Iranian leader will head a delegation that includes Iran’s foreign minister as well as senior businesspeople. He is scheduled to meet with presidents from the three countries.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani on Monday described the trip as “a new turning point” which could bolster economic and trade ties with African nations.
He also said the rapprochement is based “on common political views” between Tehran and the three African countries.
US-Iran tensions emerge at African Littoral States meeting in Saudi Arabia
Despite sanctions, Iran remains a major buyer of Kenyan tea, with earnings jumping eight times in the first quarter of 2023.
Kenya sold tea worth Sh4 billion between January and March, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics.
“There was a remarkable improvement in exports to Iran from Sh498.8 million in the first quarter to Sh4 billion in the corresponding quarter of 2023, largely driven by increased domestic exports of tea,” KNBS report says.
Iran has stepped up its diplomacy in recent months to reduce its isolation and offset the impact of crippling sanctions re-imposed since the 2018 withdrawal of the United States from a painstakingly negotiated nuclear deal.
On Saturday, Raisi welcomed Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf in a bid to boost relations with Algiers.
Last week, the Islamic republic became a member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization which includes Russia, China and India.
In March, Iran agreed to restore ties with its regional rival Saudi Arabia under a China-mediated deal. It has since been looking to reestablish ties with other countries in the region, including Egypt and Morocco.
Former Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited Kenya in February 2009, when he was received by then President Mwai Kibaki. He also visited Uganda.
During the visit, Ahmadinejad said African nations must stand up for themselves when confronted by Western countries wanting to exploit their raw materials.
“Western countries have for years oppressed African states, exploited Africa’s natural resources,” he said.
United States blocks Iranian Foreign Minister from attending UN Security Council meeting
