TEHRAN - Russian National Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev landed in Tehran on Tuesday evening, responding to an invitation from Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC).

In addition to his host and counterpart, the secretary of Russia's National Security Council was due to meet with several other high-ranking Iranian political and economic figures to discuss bilateral ties and international issues of mutual interest.

Patrushev was accompanied by representatives from plenty of Russian economic groups.

Referring to the regional and global conditions, Shamkhani touched upon remarks that regional and international dialogue and cooperation are regarded as the ways out of existing crises and countering challenges.

Elucidating the dimensions of the hybrid war of the hegemons against the Iranian nation as well as the impacts of cruel American sanctions, he stated that “the expansion of bilateral and regional cooperation, especially with neighboring countries in the economic field, is one of the strategic priorities of our country.”

Shamkhani mentioned that it is important to strengthen the process of cooperation between the two countries in the fields of energy, transportation, agriculture, trade, banking and environment

He added, “Obstacles in such sectors will be eliminated through taking necessary measures and steps.”

The top security official also insisted on the need to strengthen multilateral cooperation in regional organizations, especially the SCO, to intelligently utilize the capacities of member countries.

The SNSC secretary also said the danger of terrorism and extremism continues to threaten the security of the region and the world at large, and emphasized the need to continue to increase regional and international cooperation to eliminate the dangers of such a sinister phenomenon.

Referring to the crisis in Ukraine, Shamkhani also said, “Iran welcomes and supports any initiative that leads to a ceasefire and peace between Russia and Ukraine based on dialogue and is ready to play a role in ending the war.”

He suggested the creation of joint and synergistic institutions to deal with sanctions and the activation of the capacity of international institutions against sanctions as well as countries imposing sanctions.

For his part, Patrushev expressed satisfaction with the acceleration of cooperation between the two countries in various fields, saying that “during the four meetings in the current year, the presidents of the two countries have emphasized the unchangeable will of Tehran and Moscow in promoting bilateral relations to a strategic level.”

Referring to the last agreements between both countries’ national security institutions as well as drawing a roadmap for strategic cooperation, especially in the field of economic and technological sanctions, he said, “The most important goal of my trip to Tehran is to exchange ideas to speed up the implementation of joint projects. In
addition, the provision of dynamic mechanisms for kick-starting new activities in economic, commercial, energy and technological fields are unreservedly crucial.”

Patrushev also said that “the creation of synergy in transit capacities, especially the rapid completion of the North-South corridor, is an effective step to improve the quality of bilateral and international cooperation in economic and commercial sectors.”

Emphasizing the pursuit of the joint initiatives of the two countries to establish a “Group of Friends in Defense of Charter of the United Nations” with cooperation of counties that have been illegally sanctioned by the West, he stressed, “Western countries, especially the United States, seek to flout the United Nations Charter and strive to impose their political will on independent countries.”

The secretary of Russian National Security concluded his remarks by presenting a report on the Ukraine crisis, adding, “From the outset of conflict in Ukraine, the Western media empire vowed to upend the reality in a bid to foment deviation in the world public opinion regarding the outbreak of the Ukraine crisis and its battleground realities.”