in tehran, ali akbar dareini, researcher at the center for strategic studies.ami eric lob, associate , professor at florida international university and number of the trustees of the american institute of iranian studies. a warm welcome to you all and thanks so much for joining us today on "inside story." ali, let me start with you today. tehran has called this three-country tour of africa a new beginning in relations with the continent. what kind of new relationship, new beginning is president expecting, and what did he open to achieve with this trip? guest: president raisi's visit to africa is in line with his administration's efforts to create new alliances with the non western world in the current era of transition in international relations from the unipolar world to a multipolar system. it is also in line with his look to the east policy, of expanding economic and political relations with the non-western world. iran is looking for closer relations with africa, to diversify its economy, and defeat sanctions. one way of defacing the sanctions is to increase