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Iran's president arrives in Sudan to boost ties
KHARTOUM : Iran 's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will arrive in Sudan late on Sunday for talks expected to focus on b
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Iran, along with China, is one of the biggest supporters of Sudan's President Omar Hassan al-Bashir who faces indictment from the International Criminal Court (ICC) over alleged war crimes in the long-running Darfur conflict.
Shunned by the West, Sudan, which is facing an economic crisis after losing much of its oil wealth to newly-independent South Sudan, is keen to expand trade ties with Iran. Most Western firms avoid Sudan due to a tough US trade embargo.
Sudan and Iran have also strong military ties after signing a cooperation agreement in 2008.
During his two-day visit Ahmadinejad will meet Bashir on Monday and give a speech in the capital Khartoum, officials in the Sudanese foreign ministry said.
Copyright Reuters, 2011