Iranian President Raisi arrives in Russia; to expand cooperation

Tehran – ‘Iran wants to establish and strengthen cooperation with all its neighbours. We want to strengthen our political, economic and trade cooperation with Russia. This visit will prove to be a vital step in that direction,’ said Ebrahim Raisi, the President of Iran. President Raisi, who is visiting Russia, will also meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Iranian President Raisi is on a two-day visit to Russia and arrived in Moscow on Wednesday. Russian President Vladimir Putin had invited President Raisi to visit Russia. During the visit, efforts will be made to strengthen political, economic and cultural cooperation between the two countries, declared Iran. In a statement issued before his departure for Russia, President Raisi claimed that his visit would be a turning point in cooperation with Russia.

‘Iran and Russia are the most important, powerful and influential countries in the region. Cooperation and discussion between these two countries can influence the security and improve the economic and trade relations in the region,’ President Raisi said. While talking about the Shanghai Cooperation Organization-SCO, the Iranian President mentioned trade cooperation with Russia.

The Iranian President said trade and economic cooperation between the two countries was unsatisfactory. In such a situation, the Iranian President claimed that Russia’s pivotal role in the Eurasian Economic Union would be helpful to Iran. ‘After joining the SCO, relations with Russia will be necessary to enhance trade and economic cooperation,’ President Raisi said. Russia and Iran had established cooperation for 20 years- that agreement ended last year. Iran has demanded that the cooperation be extended for another five years. The Iranian President was scheduled to hold talks with the Russian President at a meeting of the SCO in Tajikistan in September last year. But in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic, the Russian President was absent from the meeting. Therefore, Iranian media are claiming that the President of Iran will renew this cooperation during his visit to Russia.

Meanwhile, Iran is a fuel-rich country in the Middle East. Russia and OPEC members Saudi Arabia and other Arab allies have been at loggerheads over the past few months over additional oil production. In such a situation, this visit of the President of Iran to Russia is important.