TEHRAN- Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, has praised relations with Iran as “very good,” reiterating Moscow’s commitment to deepening ties with Tehran.

“We have very good relations with Iran. And we will enhance them in every possible way... That is why we do our utmost in order to develop relations with Iran, and will keep this up in the future,” TASS news agency quoted Putin as saying on Thursday.

Putin pointed to the development of educational institutions in Iran as a component of a large effort to form deeper connections, adding that Moscow should see interest from nations to establish educational institutions there.

“However, the idea is a good one, since it implies soft power in the kindest and best sense of this word, the promotion of our culture and our education systems. We will mull this over as well,” the president stressed.

Despite being subject to harsh Western sanctions, Iran and Russia, two strong and strategic allies, have recently strengthened their ties in a variety of areas, including military and defense.

In September, in a meeting in Tehran with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Iran’s Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Mohammad Bagheri said that Tehran and Moscow are working on a long-term cooperation document.

Underlining the importance of boosting Iran-Russia relations, the top Iranian general said, “According to the decision of the leaders of the two countries, the relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Federal Republic of Russia are on the path of growth and development, and fortunately, this relationship has gained new dimensions over time.”

He added, “The developments that have occurred in the world today indicate that the period of the unipolar world has ended and the structure of the international system is moving towards a multipolar world. The results of the positions of Iran and Russia also indicate the same issue that the movement of global developments towards the multipolar system is accelerating.”

Addressing the Russian defense minister, General Bagheri said, “Your Excellency’s speech at the Moscow Security Conference (on August 15) also shows the movement of the global power structure and the balance of power towards the multipolar system.”

He noted, “The opinion of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution is that the long-term cooperation between Iran and Russia is in the interest of both countries and for this reason, the long-term cooperation document between Iran and Russia is being drafted. This document has strong military and defense dimensions and can be a suitable platform for the development of long-term cooperation between the two countries.”