Bouteflika, who arrived in Tehran 18 October 2003 for a three-day visit at the head of a high-ranking delegation at the invitation of President Khatami, held talks with the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, President Khatami, Majlis Speaker Mehdi Karroubi and Ministers of Foreign Affairs Kamal Kharrazi and of Defense Admiral Ali Shamkhani. Expansion of bilateral cooperation in various political, economic and communication fields were among the major topics brought up during the talks of the officials. Five memoranda of understanding were signed by Tehran and Algiers during Bouteflika’s visit calling for supporting joint investment as well as cooperation in the fields of industry, transportation, joint marine ventures, the judiciary and the extradition of criminals. Bouteflika also paid tribute to father of the Islamic Revolution and founder of the Islamic Republic the late Imam Khomeini by laying a wreath at his tomb.

During the visit the two sides signed five memoranda of understanding on expansion of mutual ties in the presence of the two presidents. According to the MOUs, the two sides will cooperate in different fields, including joint ventures, industrial ties, transportation, judiciary affairs as well as extraditing prisoners. Iranian Minister of Economy Tahmaseb Mazaheri and Algerian Foreign Minister Abdelaziz Belkhadem inked an agreement on encouraging support for joint ventures. An agreement on industrial ties was also signed by Iranian Minister of Industries and Mines Esshaq Jahangiri and Belkhadem. An agreement on marine joint ventures was signed by Minister of Transportation Ahmad Khorram. An agreement on judicial ties and extradition of prisoners was concluded between Minister of Justice Esmail Shoushtari and the Algerian Foreign Minister.

Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s main message was the expansion of mutual ties between Tehran and Algiers. Speaking at a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi, he described as positive mutual relations and said that the current level of bilateral ties does not meet expectations of the two countries’ leaders. More efforts and cooperation as well as exchange of visits are required to materialize these goals. Kharrazi, for his part, referred to the strong relations and bonds between the two countries and called for further exchange of visits between intellectuals, university professors and industrialists in order to upgrade economic, cultural and scientific bonds. He pointed to the special and sensitive positions of Iran and Algeria in Asia and Africa, and noted that the two countries can broaden mutual ties on the basis of mutual interests.

The Algerian president, for his part, expressed satisfaction with the growing trend of ties between the two countries in recent years. "Consolidated cooperation between Iran and Algeria would be in the interest of the two nations and would bring closer the views of international organizations including the United Nations, Group 77, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)." "Peace can only be established on the basis of justice," he stressed. He expressed dissatisfaction with discriminatory and dual standard policies of big powers toward other countries of the world and said, "Respect and dignity of nations must be guaranteed in the international arena."

Turning to the significant stance of Iran in the Middle East and Western Asia as well as the regional status of Algeria in Northern Africa, he assessed the expansion of bilateral ties in line with the interests of the world of Islam. "Expansion of relations between Iran and Algeria will undoubtedly not only be to the interest of both states, but will serve that of the world of Islam." For his part, Bouteflika briefed Karroubi on the developments in his country in recent years and added that hopefully they have managed to overcome the difficulties and restore security in Algeria. Referring to terrorism as one of the most perilous threats, he said, "It might be said that the only thing comparable to the terrorists’ atrocity is the rudeness promoted by the seculars through the power of their pens." Expressing satisfaction over the present level of bilateral ties, the President said that given several agreements of cooperation inked between the private sectors of the two states, the prospect of mutual relations is quite promising.