TEHRAN – Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Wednesday called for expansion of cooperation in different fields between Tehran and Moscow, saying closer ties would benefit security in the region, Tasnim reported.

In a message to a conference marking five centuries of ties between Iran and Russia, Zarif said a review of the long history of relations ties suggests that the two countries need to broaden and diversify their interaction.

The conference, called “Iran, Russia, Five Centuries of Cooperation”, opened in the Russian State Archive of Socio-Political History (RGASPI) in Moscow on Wednesday.

The enhancement of bilateral relations, Zarif said, would not only serve the interests of the two nations, but also ensure the security and stability in the Middle East and Central Asia.

He also expressed the hope that academic meetings as well as scientific and cultural cooperation between the two sides would contribute to stronger relations.

Since the Iran nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), went into force in January 2016, Tehran and Moscow have ramped up efforts to boost their ties in various fields.

The two nations have also formed a strong alliance in the region in recent years, with both supporting the Syrian government against foreign-backed militancy.

MH/PA