Agreements on Iran’s nuclear program to have favorable impact on cooperation with Russia - Zarif

MOSCOW, August 17. /TASS/. The agreements on Iran’s nuclear program reached in Vienna will further promote the relations between Moscow and Tehran, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on Monday. "These agreements will have a favorable impact on cooperation between our countries in all areas, particularly, in economy and defence," he said. Iran’s top diplomat added that Moscow and Tehran had a long history of relations - in both bilateral and international formats. "We have common interests, attitudes and challenges in our region," he said. "Iran attaches great importance to relations with Russia, witness the recent meeting of our two leaders in Ufa." According to Zarif, Iran will continue to take all necessary steps to boost cooperation with Moscow. "The areas of our cooperation should be expanded to address the issues of the regional and international agenda," the Iranian minister said. For his part, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov noted that the two countries were "cooperating constructively in almost all spheres, both in the bilateral affairs and on the international arena." "We have intensive dialogue - both high-level and at other levels, with close consultations between our two ministries. Today we have every opportunity to give a fresh impetus to the Russian-Iranian relations on the basis of the decisions that were taken in the framework of the settlement of the Iranian nuclear program," he said. Lavrov added that Russia was interested in "building up cooperation with Iran in the settlement of crises in the Middle East and North Africa." "We are convinced that our countries’ involvement will yield the results which would meet the interests of the peoples of Iran and Russia," he said. Read more