Iran’s Ahmadinejad heads to Zimbabwe, Uganda

AFP: President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad left Thursday for a two-day visit to Zimbabwe and to UN Security Council member Uganda, with whom he will discuss Iran's nuclear programme, state television reported. TEHRAN (AFP) — President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad left Thursday for a two-day visit to Zimbabwe and to UN Security Council member Uganda, with whom he will discuss Iran's nuclear programme, state television reported.

Ahmadinejad's visit to Uganda gains significance as world powers have stepped up pressure for a new round of UN sanctions against Iran for pursuing its nuclear programme.

The report gave no details of the Zimbabwe leg of the trip but said the Iranian hardliner would hold talks on Friday with Ugandan officials, including President Yoweri Museveni, in Kampala.

Uganda currently holds one of the rotating Security Council seats.

"Obviously as a member of the Security Council we are going to discuss the issue of nuclear energy," the permanent secretary of Uganda's foreign ministry James Mugume said on Tuesday.

"We've have been engaging Iran on this issue for some time."

Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Sunday that Tehran planned to open talks with all 15 Security Council members in an effort to break a deadlock on a nuclear fuel supply deal that has put it at odds with Western powers.