Iran, Russia To Continue Growing Ties - Zarif

Moscow, Jan 18, IRNA – Visiting Iranian Foreign Minster Mohammad Javad Zarif on Thursday expressed satisfaction with the current level of Tehran-Moscow cooperation, stressing the two will continue growing relations. In a meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, Zarif said Iran and Russia have been enjoying important relations as two old neighbors. Tehran-Moscow relations, he said, are in line with their bilateral strategic interests. He added that a meeting in September 2013 of the two countries presidents in Kyrgyzstan has prepared the ground for fostering bilateral ties between the two capitals. Iran attaches importance to its relations with Russia regarding issues related to the Caspian Sea, said the Iranian foreign minister who arrived in Moscow late Wednesday night from Damascus. He added there are considerable capacities for the two countries to strengthen bilateral ties. Touching upon Iran's dispute with West over Tehran's peaceful nuclear program, Zarif said Russia played a crucial role in finding a peaceful solution for the problem. The two foreign ministers also exchanged views on global and regional concerns including extremism and terrorism. Referring to Russia important role to prevent a new war in the Middle East and Syria, Zarif assured that Moscow can play more effective role in the upcoming Geneva II conference on Syria. He expressed condolences with the Russian nation on the recent terrorist attack in Volgograd. Zarif is in Russia at the end of a regional visit which has earlier taken him to Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan and Syria. While in Moscow, the Iranian foreign minister is to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin with whom he is to discuss major international, regional and bilateral issues./end