TEHRAN (IRNA) -- President Mahmud Ahmadinejad arrived at the headquarters of the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) Wednesday afternoon to inspect the agency on the occasion of “Journalist Day” and the 73rd anniversary of the establishment of the agency.

Ahmadinejad congratulated domestic and foreign reporters on the occasion.
Upon his arrival, IRNA Managing Director Jalal Fayyazi along with his deputies extended an official welcome to Ahmadinejad and his entourage.
Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Mohammad-Hossein Saffar Harandi was accompanying the president.
In a video conference with IRNA bureau chief in Beijing Reza Khosh Lahje prior to commissioning of IRNA Data base, the president said, ""We are all from one family and believe in same ideals.""
President wished success and prosperity for all Iranian and foreign reporters.
The Data Center of the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) was launched officially Wednesday simultaneous with a visit to the agency by President Ahmadinejad on the occasion of “Journalist Day.”
Deputy Managing Director for Technical Affairs of IRNA, Abolfazl Tabesh announced that the center would further speed up posting news and information on IRNA website.
The center's operation would protect IRNA against software threats of enemies including blocking Iranian sites by those countries which provided server hosts to Iranian websites, Tabesh explained.
The IRNA website has, so far, been supported by a data base in the U.S.
August 8 is the anniversary of martyrdom of IRNA bureau chief in Afghanistan, Mahmud Saremi, who was shot dead along with six Iranian diplomats in Mazari Sharif, Afghanistan, in 1998 when Iranian Consulate in the city was occupied by Taliban militants.
The day is marked as the Journalist Day in Iran.
Sina Saremi, the son of martyr Mahmud Saremi, presented a bouquet of flowers to the president and recited some lines to welcome him.
Addressing the president, he said ""On behalf of my father who attained martyrdom along with eight diplomats and IRNA staff many of whom are family members of war veteran, war disabled and released prisoners of war, I would like to welcome you.
""IRNA is regarded as the news bastion of Islamic Republic where there is an unequal struggle underway against hegemony of global arrogance's media.""
""It is about nine years that I have lost my father and I am gradually getting acquainted with his colleagues at IRNA and I am determined to follow the path of my father and his fellow combatants,"" he said.
""Dear president, we all love Islamic Iran and regard you as the real representative of our nation,"" he said.
Ahmadinejad hugged martyr Saremi's son and paid tribute to martyred IRNA journalists in front of a special stand set up for them.
Ahmadinejad had a short discussion with Saremi's son and awarded him a memorial plaque in which the following phrase was engraved.
""My dear son, I can read hope through your hopeful eyes which is manifestation of resistance of martyrs whose grave responsibilities have now been transferred to the new generation.""
""We have come to seek the God's assistance and help of our people to administer justice in society as promised before. Let's pray to God Almighty to assist us."" Ahmadinejad said that IRNA is on the forefront of reporting and appreciated services of the news agency as Iran's major media