TEHRAN, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian left Tehran on Monday for a two-day visit to Armenia, the first leg of a trip that will also take him to Belarus, his office said.

He is accompanied by several cabinet members on the official tour, according to a statement on the presidency's website.

In Yerevan, Pezeshkian is due to meet Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and co-chair a meeting of senior delegations from both countries to discuss expanding bilateral ties. The two sides are expected to sign a series of cooperation agreements. He is also scheduled to meet Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan, the statement said.

Before his departure, Pezeshkian said promoting relations with neighbouring and like-minded states was among Iran's top priorities. He added that memorandums of understanding and agreements to be signed during the trip would help create "favourable economic and social grounds" for the country. ■