VATICAN The upcoming visit of Iranian President Mohammad Khatami with his holiness Pope John Paul the second is regarded as a ''historical'' event, Vatican's Secretary of State Jean Luis Tauran said on Friday. The secretary of state in his meeting with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Euro-American Affairs Morteza Sarmadi referred to the upcoming visit of the Iranian president to Italy and Vatican and described the president's meeting with the Pope John Paul ll as very ``significant'' for Vatican. The two sides also exchange views on issues of mutual interests as well as those relating to the Iranian president's visit to Vatican. The Iranian deputy foreign minister is now in Vatican to make arrangements for the visit of the Iranian president to Italy which is to start from March 9.

(IRNA)