Iran Africa tour: Kenya and Iran strengthen bilateral ties

Kenya's president William Ruto and Iran's president Ebrahim Raisi have signed a number of trade agreements during a visit by Iran to the East African country on Wednesday.

The two leaders pledged to strengthen bilateral ties, with Raisi describing his visit to Kenya as "a turning point in the development of relations between (the) two countries".

The five memoranda of understanding signed on Wednesday focus on "cooperation in information, communication, and technology, fisheries, animal health, and livestock products, and investment promotion," Ruto told reporters. 

Iran also plans to to set up a "motor vehicle assembly plant" in Mombasa county, according to Ruto. 

"Common political views"

The visit is the start of a three-day tour of Africa by Raisi. From Kenya, he will head to Uganda later on Wednesday before finishing his trip in Zimbabwe on Thursday.

Prior to the trip, Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanani expressed optimism that the three-day trip to Africa could help bolster economic and trade ties with African countries. 

Iran is currently seeking to shore up diplomatic support in an effort to ease its international isolation. 

Kanani said on Monday that Tehran and the African continent share "common political views", without elaborating further.

The trip is the first by an Iranian leader to the continent in 11 years. The last leader to visit was Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2013.