Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, head of Iran's Mejlis (unicameral parliament), will meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev on Tuesday as part of his visit to Moscow, Federation Council chairwoman Valentina Matviyenko said.
"Your visit is very short, but it is very busy. I know that the negotiations with my colleague, Chairman of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin were fruitful, tomorrow there will be talks with Foreign Minister Lavrov, Secretary of the Security Council Nikolai Platonovich Patrushev," Matvienko said during the meeting with Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.
"But I want to take a promise from you that you will find an opportunity to come to Russia again (I sincerely invite you), but to visit one or two of our regions, subjects of the Federation," she added. In his turn, the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament said with a smile that he would be ready to come to Russia once again after Matvienko's visit to Iran.
The Speaker of the upper house of parliament stressed that Iran is a long-standing and close partner of Russia, with which Russia is "interested in developing multifaceted cooperation, regardless of the external situation." "I would like to note that our inter-parliamentary cooperation is developing steadily and in a meaningful way. We have one of the biggest friendship groups with the Iranian Parliament," she noted.
Matviyenko also congratulated Ghalibaf on the forthcoming national holiday of Iran - Islamic Revolution Day. She pointed out that Russia appreciates that he made his first visit as parliament speaker to Russia. "We are glad that in spite of the pandemic, you are paying your official visit. This is a confirmation and evidence of interest in the progressive development of our interstate and interparliamentary relations. This, of course, demonstrates the desire on your part to maintain a regular Russian-Iranian dialogue," she said.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Federation Council
Based on materials from TASS