Ahmadinejad Postpones Visit To Armenia

Presidents Serzh Sarkisian (left) of Armenia and Mahmud Ahmadinejad of Iran in 2009

YEREVAN -- A visit to Armenia by Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad, scheduled to start today, has been postponed.

Both Tehran and Yerevan confirmed that the visit has been put off but gave no reason for the postponement.

No new date for the visit was announced.

Ahmadinejad had been scheduled to meet with senior Armenian officials, including President Serzh Sarkisian, to discuss ways to improve bilateral relations and boost trade.

Iran mainly exports natural gas to Armenia and imports electricity from Armenia.

Ahmadinejad last visited Armenia in 2007.

The Armenian president visited Tehran in late March to attend Norouz celebrations.

Ahmadinejad is facing a deadline to name an oil minister and OPEC envoy ahead of a meeting of that oil-exporting group scheduled for June 8. Ahmadinejad's attempt to take over supervision of the Oil Ministry and lead the Iranian delegation to OPEC himself was thwarted by the Guardians Council vetting body and parliament, both of which deemed the move unlawful.

with agency reports