Raisi, Putin vow to expand Iran-Russia cooperation, ensure regional security

TEHRAN -- Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin held talks here on Tuesday, agreeing to further strengthen bilateral relations and expand cooperation to ensure security in the region.

The meeting was held following Putin's arrival in Tehran on Tuesday afternoon for participation in a trilateral meeting with Raisi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the issue of Syria later in the day, according to a report by the Iranian presidency's website.

The two sides reviewed the latest developments in bilateral relations, which have improved significantly following the start of the Raisi administration, expressing satisfaction with the leap in ties, particularly, in the economic, security, infrastructure, energy, trade and industry sectors, the report noted.

The two presidents also expressed determination to continue the path of further strengthening bilateral relations.

Lauding the joint achievements in the fight against terrorism, Raisi and Putin highlighted the necessity of enhancing cooperation in regional and transregional areas, noting that they are determined to help ensure security in the region's "independent states."

Describing the two countries' will to expand bilateral relations as "remarkable," Raisi said that, after his meetings with Putin in Moscow in late January and Ashgabat in late June, the Iran-Russia cooperation has kept reflecting a growing trend which needs to be further reinforced.

On the "successful" bilateral cooperation in the fight against terrorism in Syria, the Iranian president said such collaborations "prepare the ground for improving regional security and stability."

He added that Iran and Russia have proved their honesty and strong will in combating terrorism through cooperation to this end.

For his part, Putin said the cooperation between Russia and Iran has increased in different sectors, particularly in the area of international security, adding that both sides have a very big share of the efforts to resolve the crisis in Syria.