TEHRAN Iranian President Mohammad Khatami met here yesterday with three high-ranking officials from Armenia, Kazakhstan and South Korea to underline the stances of the Islamic Republic over different issues.

Khatami met with Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanyan where he underlined the common objectives of the two countries and the existing potentials to enhance bilateral relations between the two countries. Referring to Armenia's geographical situation in the region, he said that the two countries' cooperation in different dimensions can help promote the regional interests of each.

The Armenian FM lauded Iran's foreign policy in the region as positive and he called Iran-Armenia gas pipeline, the pipeline of peace and security.

Expressing satisfaction over the holding of direct talks between the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan Republic, Khatami expressed Iran's readiness to help settle Karabakh issue.

Oskanyan also met on Saturday with Majlis Speaker Hojjatoleslam Mahdi Karrubi.

At the meeting, Karrubi pointed to the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran and said, "The expansion of relations with all countries, especially neighboring states on the basis of mutual respect and safeguarding the national interests is the pillar of Iran's foreign policy and the Majlis will always support it." He stressed the effective role played by parliaments to strengthen relations between governments, calling for exchange of views and visits between the parliamentarians of Iran and Armenia.

For his part, the Armenian foreign minister conveyed a congratulatory message from the president of his country's National Assembly to Karrubi on 22nd anniversary of the Islamic Revolution and thanked Iran for its 'moderate' policy toward its neighboring countries.

The Armenian foreign minister arrived here on Saturday for an official visit to the Islamic Republic.

Vartan Oskanyan in a Saturday meeting with Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Hassan Rouhani said, "Improved ties between Iran and Armenia would influence the developments taking shape in the region."

Stressing the need to boost the bilateral cooperation between Iran and Armenia, he said the boosted ties between the two states could also contribute to the security of the region.

Rouhani said Iran and Armenia could consider cooperation in the area of energy and export of energy from the region as part of the long-term bilateral economic ties.

Oskanyan continued that the resumption of ties between Iran and the United States would surely affect the fate of the regional states and would contribute to the peace and security in the region.

As for the resumption of ties with the United States, Rouhani responded, "The Clinton administration had committed many mistakes in its policies toward Iran," adding that the new U.S. government should not follow the erroneous policies of the previous administration.

The Armenian official in the meeting extended an invitation to Rouhani to pay a visit to Armenia.

Also Kazakh Foreign Minister Yerlan Idrisov met here with Khatami yesterday where he handed over to Iranian president a message from his counterpart.

The two officials at the meeting discussed the Caspian Sea legal regime and stressed that the two sides should increase their cooperation via the sea.

Khatami said at the meeting that the littoral states of the Caspian Sea should reach a just conclusion over the sea's legal regime and solve the issue with understanding.

Khatami was invited by Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev to visit the country.

The two sides also reviewed the Afghan crisis at the meeting.

Also, the visiting Kazakh foreign minister and his Iranian counterpart Kamal Kharrazi met on Sunday where they reviewed expansion of bilateral ties, regional cooperation, legal regime of the Caspian Sea and the critical situation in the neighboring Afghanistan.

During the meeting, Idrisov submitted President Nazarbayev's message for his Iranian counterpart to Kharrazi.

Terming the current trend of Tehran-Almaty relations as positive, Kharrazi called for acceleration of bilateral cooperation.

Kharrazi also hoped that following compilation of the Caspian Sea legal regime, leaders of all Caspian Sea countries would sign a document on permanent cooperation in line with establishment of peace and friendship in the area.

Also President Khatami met with the South Korean Minister of Commerce, Industry and Energy Shin Kook-Hwan.

During the meeting, Shin submitted a message from South Korean President Kim Dae-Jung to his Iranian counterpart President Khatami.

At the meeting Khatami stressed for the expansion of bilateral ties between Iran and South Korea.

Khatami said, "Iran's foreign policy is based on relations with all countries throughout the world especially the Southeast Asian countries." The president praised the determination of the Korean nation in boosting their countries' economy.

He said that Iran welcomes any developments in Tehran-Seoul ties.

Khatami expressed hope to visit Seoul in a convenient time.

The South Korean minister also met with Iranian Energy Minister Habibollah Bitaraf.

At the meeting the Iranian energy minister also elaborated on plans to increase production capacities of water and electricity in the country during the Third Five-Year Development Plan (March 2000-March 2005) and establishing additional power plants in various parts of the country.

He also expressed hope that South Korean companies would take part in tender bids for implementing the projects of the Energy Ministry.