TEHRAN -- President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Council Sergio Paez Verdugo arrived here early Wednesday morning on a three-day official visit to hold talks with Iranian officials.

Verdugo is to confer with Iranian officials on different topics including growing role of parliaments in national decision-makings, expansion of parliamentary diplomacy, especially the IPU diplomacy, active role of parliamentary delegations of Iran's Islamic Consultative Assembly (Majlis), parliamentary ties among the IPU members, and regional issues particularly the recent developments in Iraq and Palestine, Iranian MP Gholam-Heidar Bai-Salami said at the airport after welcoming the IPU president.

Bai-Salami said Verdugo and Iranian officials will discuss close ties between IPU and the UN, likely drastic changes in the IPU, Iran's representation in former IPU meetings, role of the IPU Council president in expansion of peace and security, IPU activities and the IPU's upcoming Geneva meeting, parliamentary immunities and the role of the union's human rights committee, IRNA reported.

The Iranian MP said Verdugo's Tehran visit is of great significance on the eve of the IPU's Geneva meeting, slated for next week, as well as regarding the ongoing international and regional developments.

He said Iran's proposal on coalition for peace, presented to the IPU's previous meeting in Chile six months ago, would be repeated in the union's upcoming meeting in the next two weeks.

Verdugo, who is in Iran at an invitation by Iran's Majlis Speaker Mahdi Karrubi, is to meet President Mohammad Khatami, Karrubi and Bai-Salami, who is the head of Iranian Majlis' Inter-Parliamentary Council.