Iran is planning to help some countries promote their defense strength, including the African country of Zimbabwe.

On Sunday, Iran's Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi said that Iran is ready to help Zimbabwe promote its defense strength, the state IRIB TV website reported on Sunday.

Vahidi made the remarks during his first round of talks with the Defense Minister of Zimbabwe Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa in Tehran, said the report.

The Iranian minister also expressed hope that Zimbabwe would restore its economic strength.

Six joint commissions in different aspects have been set up between Tehran and Harare, he said, adding that such moves prove that the two nations enjoy amicable relations in all areas.

Vahidi also referred to the defense cooperation between the two countries in the past, and stressed Iran's readiness to share its experiences with Harare in different fields, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.

For his part, the Zimbabwean minister praised achievements made by the Islamic republic and called for promotion of all-out cooperation between the two countries.

Mnangagwa arrived in Tehran late Saturday for bilateral talks at the official invitation of his Iranian counterpart.

The official IRNA news agency reported on Sunday that reviewing avenues to bolster bilateral defense cooperation between Tehran and Harare will be the top priority of the talks.

The talks between the Zimbabwean minister and Iranian officials will also focus on the latest international and regional developments as well as issues of mutual interests, saids IRNA.

On Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi and Zimbabwean defense minister explored avenues for the further expansion of mutual cooperation in different fields, defense in particular, said Fars.

During the meeting, Salehi pointed to the good trend of the political ties between Iran and the South African state and reciprocal meetings among the two countries' officials, and voiced Iranian and Zimbabwean presidents' firm resolve to improve Tehran- Harare all-out ties, said the report.

He also expressed Tehran's preparedness to exchange experiences and cooperate with Zimbabwe in the areas of economy, trade, agriculture and defense.

For his part, Mnangagwa lauded the progresses made by Iran in industrial, defense and aerospace fields, and expressed the hope that efforts underway by the two countries' officials would lead to the expansion of all-out ties.

Iran's Deputy Defense Minister Majid Bokaei said Saturday that Iran plans to sell more arms to " friendly" and neighboring countries in the new Iranian calendar year starting on March 20.

Bokaei did not mention the name of the friendly states that Iran plans to sell arms to, but in February, he said to Lebanese Defense Minister Fayez Ghusn that Iran was seeking to strengthen defense ties with friendly countries.

On Feb. 26, Iran's defense minister and his Lebanese counterpart held talks on defense cooperation in Tehran.

During the meeting, Vahidi said that one of Iran's strategic policies was to strengthen the Lebanese army. Lebanon should have a strong army to defend its interests in the region and Lebanon should be protected against the threats, Vahidi said.

Ghusn's visit to Iran provided a good opportunity for the expansion of cooperation between the two countries in the area of defense, Vahidi said.

In October 2011, Iran's ambassador to Lebanon Ghazanfar Roknabadi said Tehran was ready to equip the Lebanese army and expand bilateral defense cooperation without setting any preconditions.

Speaking at a meeting with Ghusn in Lebanon's capital Beirut, Roknabadi said that developing stronger defense cooperation between the two sides was necessary given the daily violations of Lebanese airspace by the Israeli fighter jets.

Iranian defense minister has reiterated that the Islamic republic is fully prepared to provide Lebanese army with cutting- edge military equipment if it receives any request from Lebanon for equipping its army.