Pres Raisi says Iran-Russia continuous talks sign of new era of cooperation

Tehran, IRNA – President Ebrahim Raisi has said that continuous talks and meetings between Iranian and Russian officials indicate the two sides’ serious determination to form a new era for fruitful strategic cooperation. President Raisi made the remarks in a meeting held in Tehran on Wednesday with the visiting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. After Lavrov’s report on the latest situation of bilateral economic cooperation, Raisi said that strengthening of cooperation is an effective way to fight the US sanctions and economic unilateralism against independent countries. Turning to the issue of the situation in Ukraine, the president said the Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to help find a diplomatic solution for this war and stressed the importance of putting an end to it. As the president underlined, provocative measures of the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) have caused conflicts [in Ukraine]. Stressing the importance of cooperation among countries neighboring the Caspian Sea, the president said any military presence of foreigners should be banned in this region. For his part, Lavrov expressed his country’s readiness for upgrading the level of cooperation with Iran. Lavrov also said Russia supports Iran’s role in the international and regional bodies, including Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). Russian foreign minister arrived in Tehran on Wednesday at the invitation of his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian. Follow us on Twitter @IrnaEnglish