TEHRAN- The speaker of the Iranian parliament condemned on Tuesday Swedish lawmakers for their attempts to promote Islamophobia, emphasizing that they cannot conceal their agenda behind a phony claim of free speech.

Speaking at the parliament open session in Tehran, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf remarked that Sweden's recent desecration of the Quran has broken the hearts of all Muslims worldwide.

The parliament also welcomed a Russian delegation on Monday, the speaker said in his comments, underscoring the importance of collaboration with Russia owing to their proximity to one another across the Caspian Sea and their shared interests in international and regional affairs.

The expansion of collaboration should be the main goal for the Iranian and Russian parliaments, according to Qalibaf, who also urged regular meetings between the two countries. 

The promotion of links in the fields of oil, gas, investment, transportation, and agriculture took precedence at the meeting of the parliamentary committee between Moscow and Tehran.

Qalibaf went on to add that the need for reducing barriers, including visa issuance, was also stressed between both officials.

He continued by saying that the two parliamentary delegations met to discuss a variety of topics, including using national currencies in bilateral trade.

Ties between the Russian Federation and the Islamic Republic of Iran have improved considerably.

Vyacheslav Volodin, the chairman of the Russian State Duma, led a parliamentary team that landed in Tehran on Sunday for a two-day official visit.