Putin meets Iran’s Rouhani in Moscow

MOSCOW. - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says the Islamic Republic and Russia have been working closely together to fight terrorism and promote stability in the region.

“Relations between Iran and Russia are aimed at promoting regional stability and the two countries’ main objective is to promote regional peace and tranquillity,” Rouhani said in a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin, Moscow yesterday.

He added that Tehran-Moscow ties would never be against the interests of any third country.

Rouhani said Iran attached importance to strengthening relations with Russia, adding that the two countries had taken steps to bring about positive developments in mutual ties over the past three and a half years.

The Iranian chief executive emphasised that mutual relations had entered “a new phase,” saying, “In this new phase, we can speak about sustainable and long-term ties.”

Rouhani expressed hope that the two sides would manage to take more steps to further deepen ties.

The Russian president, for his part, said Iran was a good neighbour and a stable and reliable partner for his country.

Putin added that Moscow and Tehran worked very effectively together in all areas, including on global issues and the resolution of major and very grave international problems.

He also commended major achievements made by the two countries in recent years, particularly in the economic sector, saying that trade volume between Iran and Russia increased 70 percent in 2016 in comparison with the year before.

Meanwhile, Iran and Russia signed 14 documents for the expansion of cooperation in various political, economic, judicial, legal, scientific and cultural fields.