Eurasia Press & News
TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei on Sunday stressed the point that active cooperation between Iran and Russia on regional issues within a defined framework can be effective in foiling the US unilateral plans.
Speaking in a meeting with visiting Russian National Security Council Secretary Igor Ivanov who submitted to the supreme leader a message from Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ayatollah Khamenei reiterated the fruitful results of the expansion of cooperation between Iran and Russia, and added that the two countries act as complementary partners to one another in all political, economic, regional and international areas.
He further voiced pleasure in president Putin’s message, and reminded that Iran welcomes development of relations with Russia in all grounds, stressing that the capacity for expansion of ties between the two sides is higher than the present level.
Reminding that Iran and Russia own half of the world’s total gas reserves, Ayatollah Khamenei stated that through mutual cooperation, the two states can establish an organization of gas exporting countries similar to OPEC.
He further pointed to the present conditions in Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine, and Lebanon as well as the United States’ efforts to further push its unilateralist goals, and reiterated, “Despite all its efforts, the US has not yet been able to achieve its goals in the region, and active cooperation between Iran and Russia on regional issues within a defined framework can be effective in foiling the US ambitious and unilateral plans.”
The Supreme Leader also noted the Russian president’s emphasis in his message on continued cooperation between Tehran and Moscow in all fields, specially in completing and commissioning Bushehr nuclear power plant, and expressed hope that the two sides’ undertakings would be implemented and their cooperation continued at a higher pace.
During the meeting, which was also attended by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani, Ivanov stressed the firm determination of Moscow to continue its cooperation with Tehran in all areas, and said that his president believes that Iran and Russia should utilize all their potentials to deepen and consolidate relations and bolster their regional, international and strategic cooperation.
He further assessed his talks with Iranian officials as positive, and concluded, “Moscow believes that the prospects for cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Iran are desirable and promising.”
