Tehran, May 26 (RHC) – The Iran-Ecuador parliamentary friendship group presided by Hamid Reza Fouladgar left Tehran for Quito Monday morning.

The MPs are scheduled to meet high-ranking Ecuadorian officials, including the parliament speaker.

After their visit to Quito, the lawmakers will travel to Colombia on a two-day visit.

Earlier this month, Chairman of the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaeddin Boroujeri said Tehran lays emphasis on the deepening of relations with Latin nations, and called for holding a joint meeting of the parliamentary foreign policy commissions of ALBA members.

"Iran favors holding a joint meeting of the foreign policy commissions of the parliaments of ALBA members in Bolivia," Boroujerdi said in a meeting with ALBA ambassadors to Tehran.

He reiterated that Iran and ALBA states should try to expand their relations in all areas, specially in parliamentary fields.

During the meeting, Venezuelan Ambassador to Tehran Amenhotep Zambrano, for his part, expressed the hope that cooperation between ALBA and the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) would further enhance through Iran.

The Cuban Ambassador to Tehran, Vladimir Andreas Gonzales, for his part, underlined strengthening relations between Iran and the ALBA grouping, and said, "ALBA is willing to have cooperation with Iran in resolving the Syrian crisis through political means".

Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas (ALBA) has nine member states and three observer states.

ALBA includes most of the Latin American states, like Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Ecuador and Bolivia.

There are three countries that hold observer status in ALBA, including Iran, Syria and Haiti. Haiti intends to join ALBA as a full member.