Iranian president to begin his India visit from Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani will address a gathering of Muslim intellectuals and clerics during his two-day visit to Hyderabad from tomorrow, official sources said today.

The Iranian leader is arriving in the city as part of his India tour, they said.

Rouhani will land at the Begumpet airport at 4pm on his first visit here after assuming office in August 2013. He will be received by Union Minister of State for Power and New and Renewable Energy R K Singh.


"He is scheduled to address Muslim intellectuals, scholars and clerics at 6.30pm tomorrow," the sources said.

On Friday, the Iranian president will address a weekly congregation at the historic Mecca Masjid after offering the Friday prayers, they said, adding that religious scholars from various schools of thoughts will participate in the session.

The visiting president is also scheduled to visit the Salar Jung museum and historic sites including the Qutub Shahi Tombs at Golconda on Friday, they said.

"This is the second time Hassan Rouhani will be visiting Hyderabad, and it is his first visit (to the city) after assuming charge as the president.

"He will leave for New Delhi on February 16," the sources said.

Telangana Chief Secretary Shailendra Kumar Joshi, who held a coordination meeting at the Secretariat on the visit of Rouhani, directed government officials to make foolproof arrangements for his visit.

Joshi discussed security, traffic control, protocol and reception during the meeting and asked officials to make elaborate arrangements for Rouhani's visit, an official release said.

Rouhani will be accompanied by 21 delegates. He will interact with Iranians settled in Hyderabad, it said.

The chief secretary said there is a cordial relationship between Hyderabad and Iran and his visit to the city offers great pleasure to the Telangana government to invite him.