TEHRAN – Iran’s Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali has said that Iran and Russia are determined to reach a deal for long-term comprehensive cooperation, ISNA reported on Friday.

Iran and Russia signed a cooperation deal 20 years ago.

“The two countries’ top officials have announced their agreement to extend and update the deal. Given the prospect of cooperation, they are determined to sign a long-term deal for comprehensive cooperation,” the ambassador tweeted.

Upon arrival in Moscow on Monday, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Iran plans to extend the 20-year agreement with Russia.

“I stress that Iran-Russia relations are strategic. In the current situation in which there are developments at the international level, it is needed to hold talks between the two countries and also with other friends,” he told reporters.

During his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday, Zarif said Iran-Russia relations are at their strongest in decades, adding that such sustainable ties will benefit both countries and guarantee global peace and security.

He said on Wednesday that while in Russia he had spoken with President Vladimir Putin on the phone for an hour.

“It was a constructive conversation, and inshallah it will lead to good outcomes,” he said.

In a post on his Twitter account on July 1, Zarif said while in Moscow he “delivered important message to President Putin” from Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.

The foreign minister also said he held “extensive talks with FM Lavrov on bilateral cooperation, regional and global coordination.”

The chief diplomat said Tehran and Moscow share “identical views on the JCPOA and need to uphold international law.”

He added the two sides “agreed to conclude long-term comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement.”

NA/PA