Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian's visit to Russia is expected in March, Iranian Ambassador to Moscow Kazem Jalali said.
"Yes, God willing, this visit to Moscow will take place in March," he said Wednesday in a video interview at the press center of Parlamentskaya Gazeta, answering a related question.
Cooperation agreement
Iran also expects a comprehensive cooperation agreement between Tehran and Moscow, the diplomat added. "We hope that this agreement will be signed by our two governments in 2023," Jalali said.
The ambassador noted that since it is an interstate agreement, it should receive ratification by the parliaments of the two countries after the signing.
According to him, based on the neighborhood of Russia and Iran, "as well as on the basis of close approaches in the international arena, our political relations are progressively developing and strengthening day by day."
Jalali stressed that the countries "are in the golden period of development of bilateral ties."
Strengthening transit infrastructure
The Iranian ambassador believes that Moscow and Tehran should strengthen transit infrastructure.
"Of course, our transit infrastructure should be strengthened. In the same regard, the North-South international transport corridor plays a very important role," he said, adding that the efforts of the two governments are aimed at this.
The ambassador noted that part of the railroad in the eastern branch of the corridor should be electrified, and a railway connection between the cities of Resht and Astana should be established in the western branch of the corridor.
"There is also a middle corridor, a combined corridor which goes through the Caspian Sea. Here it is necessary to strengthen it as well, our maritime fleet should be strengthened. The only Caspian port in the Russian Federation is Makhachkala. We are glad that there is a plan for the development of this port, it is being implemented. The Volga needs to be deepened, ships pass through the Volga at half their capacity. Russian officials say that the deepening of the mouth of the Caspian Sea has begun and when the ice melts, the rest of the deepening will continue," the diplomat added.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on materials from TASS