( dpa ) - Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono departed Jakarta Monday for a 10-day trip that will take him to Iran, Senegal, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.
Yudhoyono was scheduled to begin the trip with a two-day visit to Iran, where he will discuss the nuclear issue with his Iranian counterpart, President Mahmud Ahmadinejad, and with supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei.
Yudhoyono's visit to Iran comes a week after Jakarta abstained from voting when the United Nations Security Council approved a new round of sanctions against Teheran over its refusal to halt technical development suspected to be related to nuclear weapons.
Presidential spokesman Dino Pati Djalal has said that during a meeting with Ahmadinejad, Yudhoyono was expected to urge Iran to be transparent and to cooperate with the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency.
Indonesia, a non-permanent member of the Security Council, last week abstained in the vote on the Iran resolution, a third set of sanctions targeting individuals, companies and equipment that could be used in Tehran's nuclear programme. It was adopted a week ago by a vote of 14-0.
Djalal said that Indonesia's position remains unchanged and the country would continue to "support Iran's right to generate energy for peaceful purposes."
In addition to the nuclear issue, the two countries will hold talks on increasing cooperation in the energy sector. Jakarta is keen to attract investment, particularly in the energy sector, and would also like to play a greater role in world diplomacy, particularly involving the Middle-East.
During Yudhoyono's visit, memos of understanding would be signed linked to cooperation in agriculture, trade and education, Djalal said.
After Iran, Yudhoyono and his entourage will travel to Senegal to attend the 11th Summit of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, then proceed to South Africa and the United Arab Emirates, before returning to Jakarta on March 20.