TEHRAN -- Visiting Vietnamese President Tran Duc Luong, in a meeting with President Mohammad Khatami here Sunday, stressed the need to strengthen mutual relations in all fields.

During the meeting, Khatami underlined the need to enhance bilateral as well as regional and international cooperation with particular reference to present circumstances, and called for full utilization of the two countries' potentials in the commercial, economic and scientific fields within the framework of their joint economic commission.

"Vietnam and Iran, as two member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), respectively, have the capability of enhancing regional economic and commercial cooperation, particularly between their private sectors," Khatami said.

He expressed hope that bilateral ties between Tehran and Hanoi would receive a boost with the signing of new documents for cooperation as well as implementation of those already concluded between the two sides with the firm determination of their leadership.

The Iranian president recalled the aggression committed by alien forces against Vietnam in past decades and the ultimate victory of the nation as "one of the most important" events of the 20th century. Noting the close stances of Tehran and Hanoi on various issues of international concern, including those that have been raised before the world body (UN), he said: "Cooperation between the two countries must proceed in greater strides in order to meet the increasingly urgent need for peace, security and a just world and in order to thwart the threats to use force and unilateralism."

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Monday in a meeting with Vietnamese president praised the historical struggle and victory of the Vietnamese people against the U.S. The Leader added that given the commonalties between Iran and Vietnam, the two states can broaden their ties in all fields, IRNA reported. Referring to the resistance and victory of the Vietnamese nation as a promising example of the nations struggle against the world arrogant powers, Ayatollah Khamenei said, "The event proved that the nations can overcome the arrogant powers by relying on their courage, resistance, self-confidence, human values and principles." The Leader pointed to the U.S. attempts to dominate the world military, political, cultural and economic scenes and said, "Though today they are equipped with more advanced military armaments, their actual power has not increased since the Vietnam War." The Leader said, "In the process of the hue and cry over Iraq, the U.S. might manage to achieve some goals in a military movement. However, given that such an approach will end up in increasing hatred among nations towards them and their position worldwide, they would eventually be the loser."

Given that it is the most significant duty of all nations to safeguard their national identity, Ayatollah Khamenei warned them against the attempts of the world arrogant powers to deprive them of their national identities and underlined that in the present circumstances, cooperation and unity of the states seeking independence is quite necessary.

Expressing satisfaction over the fruitful negotiations held by the presidents of both countries, he said that Iran and Vietnam are in position to upgrade the level of their political cooperation by broadening economic, commercial, technical and cultural relations.

At the meeting, in which President Khatami was also present, Tran Duc Luong expressed his satisfaction over meeting the Leader of the Islamic Revolution and praised the victory of Iran's Islamic Revolution and the achievements of Iranian nation.

"The people of Iran and Vietnam through reliance on their national independence can oppose the domination of foreign powers and such commonalties provide the grounds for the broadening of multilateral ties," he added.

Majlis Speaker Mahdi Karrubi also on Monday met with President Luong and expressed satisfaction over current mutual cooperation in political, economic and cultural fields, and called for boost of parliamentary relations between the two sides.

Referring to the two sides' common viewpoints on regional and international issues as well as their revolutionary backgrounds, Karrubi suggested that Hanoi and Tehran should clear way for closer relations.

Karrubi voiced Majlis' readiness and willingness for having further bonds with the Vietnamese Parliament, and invited his Vietnamese counterpart to pay a visit to Iran.

Tran Duc Luong also hailed Tehran's independence-seeking stance in regional and international developments, and commended Iran's supports for Non-Aligned Movement and Group 77.

He emphasized Hanoi's readiness for expanding mutual parliamentary ties and exchange of parliamentary delegations.

President Tran Duc Luong wrapped up his two-day visit to Iran and left here Tuesday morning at Iranian Agriculture Minister Mahmoud Hojjati's sendoff.

At the end of the trip, the two countries signed three agreements on economic, scientific, and technical cooperation of their agriculture ministries as well as marine transportation and held their third joint economic commission.

The Vietnamese president paid tribute to the late founder of the Islamic Revolution by attending his mausoleum in west of Tehran and dedicating a wreath of flower.

Tran Duc Luong was accompanied by the Vietnamese commerce minister, urban development minister, health minister, former Hanoi mayor and a number of other political and economic officials in the trip.

He left Tehran for Namibia before traveling to Angola and Congo.

The Vietnamese president arrived here Sunday afternoon at the head of a delegation.

Tehran and Hanoi have witnessed remarkable progress in economic, trade and cultural fields in recent years. The two countries' officials have paid several visits at various levels to their respective capitals since 1995.