Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad- Javad Zarif left Tehran for South Africa Wednesday on his first official visit to the African continent as foreign minister, Press TV reported.

Zarif will co-chair an Iran-South Africa Joint Cooperation Commission meeting later Wednesday with South Africa's Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Maite Emily Nkoana- Mashabane.

The Iranian foreign minister is expected to meet senior South Africa officials, including President Jacob Zuma, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir- Abdollahian was quoted as saying.

On Thursday, Zarif will leave South Africa for Istanbul of Turkey to participate in the 60th Pugwash Conference on Science and World Affairs with the theme of "Dialogue, Disarmament, and Regional and Global Security."

He will later head to Turkey's capital of Ankara for talks with senior Turkish officials on the forthcoming Geneva II conference on Syria as well as bilateral cooperation.