TEHRAN — President Hassan Rouhani has felicitated his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on the occasion of Russia’s National Day, saying Tehran and Moscow share common responsibilities and interests with regard to the security of the region.

“I would like to offer my sincerest congratulations to Your Excellency and the people of that country on the Russian Federation’s National Day,” the president said in a message on Friday, Mehr reported.

He hailed the considerable developments and deepening of ties between Iran and Russia over the past years.

“I am confident that relying on the invaluable experiences of the past, the relations between the two countries will expand more and more in line with the common interests and with the aim of increasing the welfare of the two nations,” President Rouhani said.

He further stressed that “Iran and the Russian Federation hold common responsibilities and interests over the regional security,” adding, “Therefore, it is imperative to continue the ongoing talks and negotiations between the Tehran and Moscow at different levels.”

Rouhani further wished for further prosperity and happiness for the Russian nation.

Russia Day, called Day of adoption of the declaration of state sovereignty of Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR) before 2002, is the national holiday of the Russian Federation. It has been celebrated annually on June 12 since 1992.

It is the successor to October Revolution Day, the former national day in the Soviet Union. The day commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of State Sovereignty of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR) on 12 June 1990. The passage of this Declaration by the First Congress of People's Deputies marked the beginning of constitutional reform in the Russian Soviet state.

MH/PA