President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov met yesterday with Kazem Jalali, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Russian Federation. The meeting took place at the Kazan Kremlin.
Minnikhanov praised the potential of cooperation between Tatarstan and Iran within the framework of Russian-Iranian relations. "We have rich historical, economic and cultural ties and have accumulated a great experience of cooperation," he stressed.
He noted that Tatarstan delegations have repeatedly visited Iran. Thus, in 2017, Rustam Minnikhanov visited Tehran and Mashhad and held a number of important meetings, including with the future President of Iran Seyed Ebrahim Raisi.
There is a memorandum of trade cooperation between the governments of Tatarstan and Iran. Before the pandemic there were direct Tehran-Kazan flights.
Minnikhanov mentioned that a number of Tatarstan companies have implemented their projects in Iran in different years. Among them are KAMAZ, Tatneft and Kazan Helicopter Plant.
On cooperation within the framework of the GSV "Russia-Islamic World"
According to the president of Tatarstan, much work is being done through the Group of Strategic Visions "Russia-Islamic World". Rustam Minnikhanov has been heading this organization since 2014 by order of Russian President Vladimir Putin. In November 2021, the first meeting of the group was held abroad, in Saudi Arabia. Iran is represented in the organization by Hamid Khavali Shahriyari, Secretary-General of the World Organization for the Convergence of Madhhabs.
Rustam Minnikhanov invited Mr. Jalali to develop more active cooperation in the Islamic banking, halal industry and Islamic education. One of the most important platforms for interaction the President called the International Economic Summit "Russia - Islamic world: KazanSummit", attended by Iranian delegations. This year's summit will be held on May 19-21. "We can expand the list of issues under consideration. We are expecting a large delegation from Iran, representatives of the business community. We will have a full opportunity to hold this meeting at a high level, as well as to schedule a visit of our delegation to your country. I think these topics are very important," said the president of Tatarstan.
He also invited the guests from Iran to participate in the big event to be held on May 21 - the celebration of the 1100th anniversary of the adoption of Islam by the Volga Bulgaria.
On cultural interaction
"It is important for us to cooperate in science and education, culture, tourism and sports. A number of universities in Tatarstan and Iran have contractual relations. We have 752 Iranian students. There is an Iranian Studies Center at KFU. There is interaction through the Academy of Sciences of Tatarstan. Iranian cinematographers regularly participate in the Kazan International Festival of Muslim Cinema and receive awards. Concerts of Iranian music, exhibitions and Iranian cinema days are held in the republic," the president said.
He said that the 45th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee is planned to be held in Kazan in June. "We will be glad to see Iranian participants and guests," Rustam Minnikhanov added.
Mr. Kazem Jalali, in turn, noted that Tatarstan is an important region for Iran. "We consider the Republic of Tatarstan our brother. We have to work much more closely. So far the level of our interaction does not correspond to the existing potential. These shortcomings must be compensated. The President of Iran, Mr. Raisi, is well acquainted with your republic. That is why our government has a special view of Tatarstan today. This year we will of course take part in the Kazansummit. We are planning to bring our trade delegations here, my colleagues are working on these issues now," the ambassador said.
During the meeting, Rustam Minnikhanov and Kazem Jalali agreed to create a joint working group to prepare an action plan for the development of trade and economic relations between Tatarstan and Iran.
GSV "Russia - Islamic world"
Photo: official website of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan
Based on materials from the press service of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan