MINSK -- Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, in a meeting with Iranian Parliament Speaker Mahdi Karrubi here Friday, criticized American unilateralism as well as Washington's stance on the Middle East crisis.

The only solution to the Middle East crisis is to restore the rights of Palestinians and establish justice in the region, the Belarussian president said.

He hailed Iran's stance on terrorism as well as Afghanistan and the Caspian Sea which is disputed by the coastal states for its legal regime and expressed hope that recent visits by Iranian and Belarussian officials to each other's capitals would help further expansion of their relations, IRNA reported.

Karrubi highlighted Iran's independent policies on regional and world issues and condemned the U.S. for supporting the hardline Israeli prime minister Arial Sharon's crimes in the occupied Palestinian lands.

The Iranian Parliament speaker expressed pleasure at the results of his talks with Belarussian officials and hoped for expansion of ties between Tehran and Minsk in all fields.

Karrubi, heading a political and parliamentary delegation, wrapped up his three-day visit to Belarus on the last leg of a ten-day European tour and left here for Tehran Friday evening.

He was seen off at the Minsk Airport by the Chairman of the Belarussian House of Representatives Vadim Popov and Speaker of the Upper House of Parliament Alexander Voitovich.

During his stay in Minsk, the Iranian speaker met with a number of other Belarussian officials including Prime Minister Gennady Novitsky,Speakers of the Upper and Lower Houses of Parliament Alexander Voitovich and Vadim Popov, respectively as well as with Minister of Foreign Affairs Mikhail Khvostov and Minister of Industry Anatoly Kharlap.

Belarussian officials in their separate meetings with Karrubi stressed expansion of ties in all fields between Minsk and Tehran.

The two sides discussed parliamentary cooperation as well as coordination between the Islamic Republic and Belarus in the international arena.

Karrubi arrived in Minsk on Wednesday on the last leg of his three-nation European tour which also took him to Finland and Austria. The Iranian Majlis (Parliament) Speaker kicked off his tour on June 12.

He said President Mohammad Khatami would pay an official visit to Belarus in the near future.

"The trip will take place in response to Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko's visit to Iran in 1998," he said.

Trade volume between the two countries stood at $438.7 million in 2001. Iran's exports to Belarus include foodstuffs, plastic products and medicine. It imports electronic goods, motor cycles as well as artificial fiber from the former Soviet republic.

The two countries established their joint economic commission in 1995.