Foreign Minister of Sudan Ali Ahmed Karti has said here Wednesday that Khartoum was keen to promote bilateral ties with Tehran. Karti made the remarks after a meeting with his Iranian counterpart Ali-Akbar Salehi which was held on the sidelines of the 66th UN General Assembly. Speaking exclusively to IRNA, the Sudanese minister referred to Tehran-Khartoum historical and cordial relations, stressing that Iran is a major country in the region which “is highly influential in international relations.” Karti stressed that Iran played a key role in securing peace and stability in the Middle East region.