TEHRAN – During a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said the Islamic Republic is serious in the talks to bring an end to all sanctions against the Iranian nation.

The remarks by the president came as Iran and the great powers, including Russia, are set to resume talks in Vienna after a five-month hiatus. The talks are intended to put an end to the illegal sanctions against Iran in accordance with the 2015 nuclear deal, officially called the JCPOA.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran is very serious in the negotiations and we are equally serious in ensuring the rights of our nation in lifting the sanctions as well,” Raisi insisted.

The Iranian president also appreciated Russia's position in defending Iran’s nuclear rights.

Raisi also appreciated the call made by Putin and said Iran is seeking to develop trade and economic relations with Russia. Raisi also stressed the need to finalize a comprehensive document on long-term cooperation between Iran and Russia.

“We are ready to finalize a comprehensive document on long-term cooperation between the two countries so that the process of further development of the relations and cooperation between the two countries can be implemented as soon as possible,” Raisi stressed.

Raisi also stressed the need for cooperation between the two countries on regional issues, saying Iran considers the continued presence of outsiders in Syria illegal and against the will of the Syrian people, warning it threatens the stability and security of the country.

Referring to the developments in Afghanistan, the president said, “We consider the presence of Daesh in Afghanistan dangerous for the region and the country, and we must be aware of the dangers of this conspiracy.”

Raisi stated that Iran seeks to witness an all-inclusive government with the presence of all ethnic and political groups in Afghanistan, and we believe that the formation of such a government can guarantee the security of the country.

The President welcomed Russia’s initiative for stability and peace in the South Caucasus region.

In the telephone conversation, Raisi thanked the Russian President and government for contributing to Iran's membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), as well as in providing COVID-19 vaccines.

For his part, Putin stressed that Tehran and Moscow share common positions on many issues

Putin added, “Moscow supports Tehran's proposals in drafting a new document on long-term cooperation between the two countries, and we are determined to make it finalized and implemented as soon as possible.”

Emphasizing that Moscow attaches great importance to improving the level of economic relations and finalizing joint investment programs with Iran, the Russian President said his country is witnessing positive inclinations for increasing the level of bilateral, regional, and international cooperation, and there is no doubt that the development of cooperation will accelerate.

Referring to the two countries' cooperation on regional issues, especially the Syria crisis, Putin said, “By working together, we were able to preserve Syria's independence and destroy the terrorist hotspot in the country. Of course, we must continue our close cooperation, especially in various regional areas.”

The Russian President also expressed support for the rights of the Iranian people on the nuclear issue and expressed hope that in future negotiations, the parties would have sufficient political will to get out of the current situation.

Expressing concern over the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh issue, Putin said, “To increase the level of trust and cooperation in the region, we seek to launch a 3+3 consultative mechanism, and we hope that the Islamic Republic of Iran support it.”

The Russian President concluded by saying that Russia is determined to continue cooperating in the fight against COVID-19 and sending vaccine shipments to Iran.