TEHRAN – A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was inked between Iran and Russia on Tuesday to boost ties on media issues.

The MOU was signed by the Deputy Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of Russia, Bella Cherkesova, and Iran’s Deputy Culture Minister for Press Affairs, Farshad Mahdipur, in Tehran.

Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Mohammad-Mehdi Esmaeili also was in attendance at the meeting with a Russian media delegation headed by Cherkesova, the culture ministry announced.

“The long history of living in the neighborhood and the current condition of the region emphasize the need to develop media relations between Iran and Russia,” Esmaeili said.  

“Today, Iran and Russia have been under media attack from their rivals, which give a tarnished image of the two countries, therefore Iran and Russia should present an accurate image of themselves in their media,” he added.

“The presidents of the two countries have always stressed the need for the expansion of relations on media issues,” he noted.

Accordingly, two cultural centers will be established in the two countries to pursue the policies that will help the matter.

He described the perspective on the media relations between Iran and Russia as bright and expressed his hope that the activities of the mutual media committees would change into an example of a successful media collaboration.

For her part, Cherkesova said that representatives of Russia’s major news agencies took part in the meetings the committees have held in Tehran over the past few days. 

She expressed her hope that by the implementation of the agreement, a new season of media relations would open between Iran and Russia. 

Iran is seeking closer relations with Russian on cultural issues under the administration of Ebrahim Raisi.

Director of the Cinema Organization of Iran, Mohammad Khazaei, and Deputy Culture Minister for Cultural Affairs Yaser Ahmadvand visited Russia in August and September 2022.

In addition, Iran’s Farabi Cinema Foundation and the Embassy of Russia in Tehran organized the Russian Film Days in December.

A Russian film delegation led by the director of Russia’s Union of Cinematographers, Valery Ivanovich Tonkikh, attended the program. 

Photo: Deputy Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of Russia, Bella Cherkesova, and Iran’s Deputy Culture Minister for Press Affairs, Farshad Mahdipur, exchange documents in the MOU on media issues in Tehran on February 7, 2023. Culture minister Mohammad-Mehdi Esmaeili is also seen in the photo. 

MMS/YAW