Russian President Vladimir Putin, who arrived in Tehran on Tuesday, is meeting with his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi. The conversation is taking place in the office of the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. This is their third meeting in 2022; Putin and Raisi have also spoken twice by phone.
Then, the Russian head of state is scheduled to talk with the spiritual leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei.
As Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov noted earlier, during Putin's meetings with Iranian leaders, the parties are expected to exchange views on the main aspects of bilateral cooperation, as well as on international and regional security issues, including the current situation around the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on the Iranian nuclear program (JCPOA).
The Kremlin spokesman called Tehran an important partner of Moscow, pointing out that the countries' relations are friendly, have a centuries-long history and are developing very effectively in a wide range of areas. Ushakov noted that Russia and Iran have plans to bring bilateral cooperation to a new level - the level of strategic partnership, so a corresponding interstate treaty is being prepared.
The issue of increasing Russian-Iranian cooperation in the economic sphere is especially relevant in light of the tightening of Western sanctions against Russia and the prospect of signing a permanent agreement between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union on a free trade zone in 2022, which should replace the interim treaty.
GSV "Russia - Islamic world"
Photo: Sergey Savostyanov / TASS
Based on materials from TASS