Present at the reception on invitation were Kim Yong Dae, vice-president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, Thae Hyong Chol, president of Kim Il Sung University and concurrently minister of Higher Education who is chairman of the DPRK-Iran Friendship Parliamentary Group, Kim Jong Suk, chairwoman of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries, Ryu Myong Son, vice department director of the C.C., Workers' Party of Korea, etc.

Seyed Mohsen Emadi, Iranian ambassador to the DPRK, and staff members of the embassy were on hand.

Seyed Mohsen Emadi said in his speech that the historic relations between the two countries forged by their preceding leaders had been further strengthened thanks to Kim Jong Il.

He expressed the will to continue mutual cooperation in line with the desire and aspiration of the two peoples.

Kim Yong Dae said in his speech that Kim Jong Il is the peerlessly great man who provided the eternal foundation for the country's prosperity and the happiness of the generations to come and led the cause of independence against imperialism and the cause of socialism to victory with his outstanding idea and leadership.

He stressed that the Korean people would as ever value the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries forged in the joint struggle for independence against imperialism, sincerely wishing the Iranian people success in their struggle for ensuring regional peace and stability.