Addressing domestic and foreign reporters, he said President Khatami has been invited to visit Belgium by its prime minister.

However, he said the date is still to be fixed by diplomatic channels, and rejected unfounded rumors there are official problems.

On Iran-Canada relations in the aftermath of the Zahra Kazemi case, he said relations remain good and that the staff of the Canadian Embassy in Tehran are in contact with the Iranian Foreign Ministry on the case.

On the presence of the Iranian ambassador to Canada in Tehran, Asefi said the ambassador is on leave and will return to his mission as soon as his leave is over.

Several Iranian ambassador are currently in Tehran to attend the yearly meeting of Iranian envoys stationed abroad, he added.

An Iranian-born freelance photojournalist, Zahra Kazemi, working for Canada's Camera Press journal, died from brain hemorrhage in a Tehran hospital on July 11.

She was arrested while taking prohibited photos from Evin Prison on June 23. During interrogation, she complained of poor health and was taken to hospital three days later.