Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif meets his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Moscow, the fifth Eastern Economic Forum kicks off in Russia's Vladivostok, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence tours Europe, and the fourth China-Arab States Expo opens in China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. 

Lavrov, Zarif meet in Moscow on Gulf situation 

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Abbas Mousavi announced Iran's top diplomat Mohammad Javad Zarif will be leading a high-ranking political delegation to Moscow on September 2.  

According to Mousavi, the visit aims at holding talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the expansion of "mutual ties as well as the latest developments of the JCPOA implementation and regional tension relief." 

The Russia visit announcement comes as Zarif concludes his three-nation Asian tour with the final stop in Malaysia, after his earlier visits to China and Japan.  

Before the Asian tour, Zarif was in France to discuss with the French president and foreign minister ways to salvage the JCPOA, as well as easing tensions in the region. 

Russia hosts Eastern Economic Forum 

The fifth Eastern Economic Forum will take place in Russia's Vladivostok from September 4 to 6. 

Russian Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Plenipotentiary in the Far Eastern Federal District Yury Trutnev said that discussions this year would focus on ensuring economic growth of up to six percent per year in the Far East. 

Chinese Vice Premier Hu Chunhua will attend the forum. Hu and Trutnev will hold a meeting as chairs of the Intergovernmental Commission for Cooperation of Northeast China and the Far East and Baikal Region of Russia. 

The forum will also welcome India‘s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Malaysia’s Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and Mongolia’s President Khaltmaagiin Battulga, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. 

Pence visits Iceland, UK, and Ireland 

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence will travel to Iceland, the United Kingdom, and Ireland this September on behalf of President Donald Trump. 

On September 4, Pence will visit Iceland, where he will highlight Iceland’s strategic importance in the Arctic, and opportunities to expand mutual trade and investment, according to a White House statement. 

Following that, Pence will spend September 5 in the UK, where he will have talks with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson that will include a discussion about Johnson's efforts to separate Britain from the European Union. 

Pence will visit Ireland on September 6-7. He will have talks with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar in Dublin and make a side trip to Shannon for events celebrating his Irish heritage. 

Fourth China-Arab States Expo 

The fourth China-Arab States Expo will be held in Yinchuan in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region between September 5 and 8.  

As an international cooperation platform, the expo draws a blueprint for the development of partnership between China and Arab countries. It is also conducive to building an open world economy and promoting the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), said Vice Minister of Commerce Qian Keming in July. 

The China-Arab States Expo is widely recognized by countries along the Belt and Road including the Arab states. 

Day by day 

Monday: South Korean President Moon Jae-in meets Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif leads a political delegation to Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives in Mongolia (to September 3), Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe visits Maldives. 

Tuesday: U.S. Vice President Mike Pence visits Iceland, 51st ASEAN economic ministers’ meeting and related meetings (to September 11), 74th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. 

Wednesday: World Nuclear Association (WNA) Annual Symposium (to September 6), Russia's Vladivostok hosts Eastern Economic Forum (to September 6). 

Thursday: The fourth China-Arab States Expo opens in NW China's Ningxia (to September 8), U.S. Vice President Mike Pence in London, Brexit minister Steve Barclay and his ministerial team take questions in parliament. 

Friday: Eighth anniversary of a pact to end a 40-year border demarcation dispute between India and Bangladesh, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence visits Ireland for talks (to September 7). 

Saturday: Ethiopia hosts a peace, forgiveness, unity and peace festival event to be attended by Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, South Sudan's President Salva Kiir and Rwandan President Paul Kagame (to September 8). 

Sunday: A quiet day in politics.