For a nation like Kenya, Khamenei will be remembered for his close dialogues with former Kenyan president, the late Arap Moi.
The most notable interaction was in December 1998, when Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, then Supreme Leader of Iran, received Kenyan President Daniel arap Moi during Moi’s official visit to Tehran.
The visit was part of a broader diplomatic visit that also included meetings with Iran’s then-president, Mohammad Khatami.
Khamenei stated that Iran’s desire to deepen relations with African countries, including Kenya, was the main reason for Moi's travel to Tehran.
After the meeting, President Moi expressed satisfaction with Khamenei and emphasized Iran’s progress in recent years and the importance of expanding economic and industrial cooperation between Tehran and Nairobi.
The late 1990s were a period of active diplomatic outreach by Iran toward African states, rooted in multiple factors.
Iran under President Khatami (1997–2005) pursued a policy of dialogue and engagement with the Global South, consisting of many African nations.
Engaging African leaders at that time was part of a broader strategy to reduce Iran’s political isolation and improve ties with a wide group of countries.
President Moi, who had been in power since 1978 and was beginning his fifth term in 1998, was also seeking to broaden Kenya’s international relationships at that time.
Despite the fact that Kenya had already maintained strong ties with Western countries like the United States, Moi saw that cooperation with other countries was still needed.
He was open to expanding relations with a diverse range of partners, including countries from the Middle East and Asia, such as the likes of Iran.