TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian on Wednesday expressed hope that the long-term strategic cooperation agreement between Tehran and Moscow will be finalized in “less than a month.”

“Reviews on the long-term strategic cooperation agreement between the two countries have been finalized in Russia. Iran has also examined it. I hope that in less than a month, the final revision of the agreement will be carried out by Iran’s Foreign Ministry,” Amir Abdollahian said in a joint press conference in Moscow with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, Press TV reported.

In his visit to Moscow which began on Tuesday night, Amir Abdollahian was accompanied by a high-level economic and political team.

Tehran and Moscow signed a 10-year cooperation deal in 2001 that was lengthened to 20 years through two five-year extensions.

Now, the two capitals are seeking to ink a document on bilateral strategic cooperation, which may determine the future of their relationship for the next 20 years. 

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Iranian chief diplomat insisted that Tehran-Moscow ties are advancing on the right track, hoping that bilateral cooperation on regional and international organizations will go on efficiently.

Later on Wednesday, in a post on his Twitter account, Iran's top diplomat described his meeting with Lavrov as "important and productive".

Lavrov says there is no alternative to JCPOA

Lavrov also told reporters that relations between Iran and Russia in different areas, including commerce, investment, economy and implementation of key projects, are advancing well.

There has been a steady growth in bilateral ties within the framework of the joint economic commission, he said, highlighting close cooperation in international and regional affairs.

The Russia’s chief diplomat also urged the United States to lift sanctions on Iran and return to the 2015 nuclear deal.

There is no alternative to the nuclear agreement, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Lavrov insisted.

"We talked about the situation around the JCPOA on the Iranian nuclear program. We have a common understanding that there is no alternative to this international agreement, which was written down in the unanimously adopted UN Security Council Resolution 2231,” Lavrov stressed, Press TV reported.

Washington needs to lift anti-Iran sanctions, he said, noting that the world awaits Washington’s return to its obligations under the nuclear deal.

On Tuesday, the Iranian foreign minister warned the United States and three European parties to the deal – Germany, France and Britain - that the window of opportunity to revive the agreement will not remain open forever.

Speaking in an interview with Al Jazeera news network on Monday, he said Iranian lawmakers seek to approve a plan which sets limitations to the negotiations to revive the agreement.