Raisi Hands Over To Putin Draft Agreement On Strategic Cooperation For 20 Years

Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi on Wednesday that he would like to hear his position concerning the situation around the Iran nuclear deal.

"It is very important for me to know your position on the JCPoA [the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, known as the Iran nuclear deal]," the Russian president said.

Greeting his counterpart and mentioning the points of contact with Tehran, Putin said that as an observer, Iran is an active participant in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). He added that Iran’s relations with the Eurasian Economic Union are developing based on the interim agreement. "We are doing active work to establish a free trade zone between Iran and our assembly," the Russian president added.

The Russian president stated that their talks involve an extended agenda.

"I am very pleased to see you. And at the very beginning of our meeting I would like to ask you to convey my best wishes to the spiritual leader, Mr. Khamenei, upon your return to Tehran," Putin concluded. The two presidents are holding talks in the Grand Kremlin Palace’s St. Catherine Hall, where Putin usually receives foreign visitors. Nevertheless, the epidemiological situation has had an impact on the routine protocol. Putin and Raisi are seated at a large oval table in the middle of the hall, a few meters apart, with only two interpreters beside them.

The Iranian side has handed over to Moscow a draft agreement on strategic cooperation for a 20-year period, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said.

"We handed over to our Russian colleagues a document on strategic cooperation between our countries which can determine prospects for at least 20 years," he said. According to the Iranian president, "the current level of trade and economic relations [between Iran and Russia] is not satisfactory." "We can increase the level of our trade and economic cooperation by several times," he added.

Raisi also noted "the very good experience of cooperation between Iran and Russia in Siberia in combating terrorism." "This experience can create the prerequisites for its expansion and exploitation in other fields. In the present circumstances, it is possible to develop cooperation in the fields of economy, politics, culture, science, technology, defense, and military spheres, as well as security and space issues," the Iranian president pointed out.

"We would like our relations with Russia to be strengthened and comprehensive. These relations won’t be short-term or positional but long-term and strategic," the Iranian head of state noted. In addition, he thanked his Russian counterpart "for facilitating Tehran’s entry into the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organization)".

On January 19, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi arrived in Moscow on his official visit. The meeting with Putin was the first since the Iranian politician took office. On January 20, Raisi is expected to speak at Russia’s State Duma and at the Moscow Cathedral Mosque.