Belgian minister's visit to Tehran to boost ties with Iran

''Relations between Iran and Belgium are clearly improving. There have been visits between Tehran and Brussels and I hope I will be able to make my contribution to that,'' Neyts said in an interview with IRNA.

The minister said she will be chairing a meeting of business people from Belgium and Iran. The first conference of this kind was held in Brussels earlier this year.

''The second aim is to have a number of political meetings with ministers and also the governor of the National Bank of Iran.

''The third aim is personal. It is to get acquainted with a country which I have been told is extremely beautiful,'' she said speaking to IRNA at the sidelines of a EU summit in Brussels Friday.

Swiss foreign minister to visit Iran

Vienna, Oct 24, IRNA -- Swiss Foreign Minister Joseph Deiss will pay a two-day visit to Iran, Swiss Federal Department for Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Thursday.

The statement faxed to IRNA office in Vienna said that Mr. Deiss is scheduled to hold talks with President Mohammad Khatami, Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi, Minister of Finance and Economy Tahmasb Mazaheri and several other Iranian officials during his visit starting from Sunday.

The situation in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Middle East will feature prominently in his talks with the Iranian officials, the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs said in its statement.

It said that Iran's status in the region especially its neighborhood with Iraq and Afghanistan and its stance toward September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States have brought Iran to the focus of the world public opinion.

The statement said that Deiss will sign an agreement with Iranian officials on cancellation of double-tax system between the two countries.

Iran and Switzerland signed an agreement in November 2001 to encourage joint investment and developing trade relations.