TEHRAN - On Monday, the defense ministers of Belarus and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to cooperate in the field of defense.

The agreement was inked during a meeting between Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani of Iran and his Belarusian counterpart Viktor Gennadievich Khrenin, who is visiting Tehran.

Given the two nations’ shared perspectives on a wide range of regional and international issues, Ashtiani stated that Belarus holds a particular position in Iran’s foreign policy.

The fifteenth Iran-Belarus joint economic commission, which was held in Minsk last year, shows that both parties are committed to maximizing their mutually beneficial collaboration, he remarked.

The Iranian defense chief suggested that in order to defeat the sanctions policy of Western powers against independent nations like Iran and Belarus, it is strategically necessary to promote bilateral cooperation in all areas.

The Iranian minister stated that the regional battles in Syria and Iraq, as well as the Ukraine crisis signal that the globe is transitioning to a new order.

“Independent countries are not only unwilling to accept a unipolar and hierarchical global system, they also seek a greater role in global governance and aspire to participate actively in this regard,” Ashtiani continued.

Employing the two countries’ strengths, potentials and defense synergies would generate peace, stability, and security in the region, he noted, adding that Iran favors any diplomatic efforts that ultimately result in a peaceful resolution of Ukraine’s disputes.

For his part, Gennadievich Khrenin stated that the meeting will improve the possibility of fostering closer ties in support of the two nations’ shared objectives.

The defense ministries of the two states can collaborate together, directly and indirectly, to advance other areas of interest utilizing their skills in addition to defense and military cooperation, he noted.