Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad embarked Sunday on a tour of the African states of Benin, Ghana and Niger, with energy deals high on the agenda, his office said. "During our trip to Benin, Niger and Ghana, we will try to not only consolidate ties, but also take long strides in boosting comprehensive ties," Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying before leaving Tehran. "Different memorandums of understanding in the fields of energy, commerce, culture, tourism and health will be signed," the Iranian leader said without giving any details on the deals.

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was travelling to Caracas on Thursday for the funeral of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, state television reported. Ahmadinejad "will shortly leave Tehran for Venezuela to attend the funeral" of Chavez who died on Tuesday, the broadcaster announced in the early afternoon. Friday's funeral of the firebrand leftist will be attended by several heads of state from Latin America and wider afield. On Thursday, mourners filed past his open casket as he lay in state in the capital.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad paid tribute to late Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez on Wednesday saying he had fallen "martyr" to a "suspect illness". Ahmadinejad hailed his close ally for "serving the people of Venezuela and defending human and revolutionary values." "He finally died from a suspect illness and he gave his life... to the elevation of his country and the freedom of his people," Ahmadinejad said in a message of condolences to Vice President Nicolas Maduro.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday expressed disappointment at intense public infighting between senior officials, calling for "calm" amid Western economic sanctions. On February 3, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and parliament speaker Ali Larijani indulged in a verbal duel in the assembly during the impeachment of a minister which was broadcast live by state media. "This is bad. This is wrong and against the law and sharia (Islamic law) and morals, and violates the rights of people," said Khamenei in remarks reported by state television on Saturday.