PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe yesterday left for Teheran to attend the inauguration of Iran’s newly-elected President Hassan Rouhani, where he is also likely to meet up with his counterparts from internationally-ostracised countries.
BY RICHARD CHIDZA
This came as First Lady Grace Mugabe, who recently demanded that her ailing 93-year-old husband anoints a successor, was reportedly in South Africa where her two sons, Robert Jnr and Bellarmine Chatunga, were staying.
Mugabe’s sons have hogged the limelight for the wrong reasons amid reports of violent beer binges that last month left an aide with broken limbs.
The Teheran gathering brings together leaders from countries with strong anti-American sentiments.
The United States this week described Mugabe, Syria’s Bashar al-Assad and North Korea’s Kim Jong-un as an “exclusive club” of dictators that also includes belligerent Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
Foreign Affairs permanent secretary Joey Bimha confirmed Mugabe would travel to Iran.
“Yes, the President is leaving today (yesterday) to attend the inauguration of Iran’s President,” he said.
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Rouhani has been in power since 2013 and won the latest round of elections in May.
Reports have claimed Mugabe has plans to sell Zimbabwe’s rich uranium deposits to Iran.
The Zimbabwean leader has maintained close relations with Iran, Venezuela and Russia, while accusing the US and its allies of pushing a regime change agenda in Harare.
