Tasnim � Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will start his tour of three Asian countries with an official visit to India later this week.

According to Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi, Zarif will visit India, China and Japan at the head of a high-ranking political and economic delegation.

His accompanying delegation will include industrial, trade and scientific officials as well as heads of 38 companies affiliated with the Iran Chamber of Commerce, 15 knowledge-based firms and 8 commercial banks.

While in India, the Iranian top diplomat is scheduled to address the 6th Heart of Asia ministerial conference.

The conference, which features discussions on the situation in Afghanistan, is slated for December 3-4 in Amritsar, India�s Punjab state.

Zarif will also visit Beijing and later Tokyo at the invitation of his Chinese and Japanese counterparts to meet with senior officials of the two East Asian countries and attend joint business forums, Qassemi said.

In his meetings with Indian, Chinese and Japanese officials, Zarif will discuss bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest, he went on to say.