On 9 December, the sixth FIDE President flew to Tehran (Iran). Although Ilyumzhinov arrived in Iran to discuss a number of humanitarian and business issues, a warm meeting with the President of the Iranian Chess Federation Merhdad Pahlevanzade was held.
At a friendly meeting, they, of course, talked about chess. The sixth FIDE President thanked the leadership of the Islamic Republic of Iran for its great contribution to popularization and development of chess.