Fostering Diplomatic Ties: Russian Official's Optimism on Relations with Iran

SAEDNEWS: Zhukov made the remarks on Monday in a meeting with Head of the Iranian Islamic seminaries, Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, who has traveled to the Russian Federation at the invitation of Mufti Sheikh Ravil Ainuddin, the head of the religious administration of Russian Muslims, to participate in the international conference "Spiritual Silk Road."

In this meeting, which was held in the presence of Iranian ambassador to Moscow Kazem Jalali, the vice-chairman of the Russian Duma while hailing the successful conclusion of the presidential election in Iran, he described the highest level of government-level trust between the two countries and their relations as a “golden period and of a great value”.

Stating that the comprehensive cooperation agreement between Iran and Russia has reached its final stage and is ready to be presented to higher levels for signing, he said that a significant part of bilateral relations developed during the tenure of Late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.

Zhukov remembered Raisi as a true patriot, saying Iran succeeded in becoming a permanent member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the BRICS group of emerging economies during his presidency. “We hope that the relations will be upgraded to a higher level under the government of Mr. Pezeshkian.”

Referring to the BRICS summit, which is scheduled to be held in the Russian city of Kazan in November, the deputy speaker of the Russian parliament expressed his hope that Pezeshkian will participate in that meeting as the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

He also described the recent visit of speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf to St. Petersburg with the aim of participating in the BRICS Parliamentary Assembly and his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin as constructive.

In the meeting, the Head of the Iranian Islamic seminaries also hailed deep ties between the two countries calling it a new era in bilateral relations.

These relations are established by the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution with his highest level of management and leadership in the country, Ayatollah Arafi said.

Referring to the exchange of various political, economic and cultural delegations between the two countries in recent years, Ayatollah Arafi pointed to the historic meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and called it a turning point in the relations between the two countries.