Comment by the Information and Press Department on Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif’s visit to Russia

On August 17, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will meet with Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif of the Islamic Republic of Iran during his working visit to Moscow.

The foreign ministers will focus on the long-term development of bilateral relations, including in the context of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) regarding Iran’s nuclear programme which was coordinated on July 14, 2015 in Vienna. They will exchange views on key issues on the global and regional agendas, including the settlement of the crisis in Syria.

The upcoming visit will take place in the context of the Russian-Iranian political dialogue which has recently become more relevant and which reflects the high level of mutual understanding between Moscow and Tehran. We note the intense practical cooperation between the two countries and a mutual commitment to developing ties in various areas.

Iran is one of our closest regional partners. Relations between the two states are based on longtime traditions of good-neighbourliness and friendship, principles of mutual respect and equality. Current bilateral agreements make it possible to expand and intensify cooperation in various areas, from trade to tourism and from interreligious dialogue to regional security. Our joint counter-terrorism and drug-enforcement efforts are becoming particularly relevant. On April 29, 2015, both sides coordinated a protocol regarding consultations between national foreign ministries in 2015−2018. Its provisions will allow us to better coordinate the efforts of our countries on a range of international issues. The advancement of our foreign policy cooperation will help strengthen peace and stability in the Caspian region, in Central Asia, and the Middle and Near East.

In 2014, Russian-Iranian trade turnover increased by over 5 per cent and reached $1.7 billion. Efforts to ensure the rapid expansion of bilateral economic cooperation remain a high priority. First of all, this concerns the joint implementation of agreed-upon large-scale projects in the fuel and energy sector, including the nuclear power industry. We see the agriculture, the automotive and aircraft industries, space exploration, science and education among the promising areas for cooperation. The Permanent Russian-Iranian Commission for Trade and Economic Cooperation will promote interaction between the parties in these areas. The regular, 12th, meeting will be held in Moscow this autumn.

August 15, 2015