TEHRAN Islamic Consultative Assembly (Majlis) Speaker Hojjatoleslam Mahdi Karrubi arrived home on Friday after a week of official visits to Jordan and Bulgaria.

Karrubi and his accompanying delegation were welcomed at Mehrabad International Airport by the head of the Presidential Office, Hojatoleslam Mohammad Abtahi, Majlis Vice-Speaker Behzad Nabavi, members of Majlis' Presiding Board and a number of deputies.

During his three-day stay in Jordan, Karrubi reviewed further expansion of Tehran-Amman cooperation with senior Jordanian officials notably King Abdullah II, the country's prime minister, the presidents of its Senate and National Assembly.

After concluding talks in Jordan, Karrubi and his politico-economic delegation proceeded to Bulgaria where he met with the Bulgarian president, prime minister, minister of foreign affairs and his counterpart in the Bulgarian Parliament.

Before departing Sofia, Karrubi met with the grand archbishop of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church in Sofia and viewed various sections of the church on Friday.

During the meeting, the Iranian Majlis speaker stressed the importance of dialogue among followers of various religions throughout the world as set forth in President Khatami's concept of "dialogue among civilizations".

Referring to the free exercise of religion by members of religious minorities in the Islamic Republic of Iran, he expressed hope that Muslims and Christians will continue to live peacefully in all parts of the world.

Praising the idea of "dialogue among civilizations" as initiated by the Iranian president, the Bulgarian archbishop said that religious leaders are duty-bound to promote peaceful coexistence among followers of all religions.

He further briefed Karrubi on the status of Muslims living in Bulgaria.

(IRNA)