In an interview with Shana, Mohammad Ali Khatibi stated that the holding of the 16th joint economic commission between Iran and Russia and the signed memorandums indicate a new and strategic atmosphere in the relations between the two countries, and said that cooperation between Iran and Russia has entered a strategic stage and the two countries are considered as strategic partners of each other from now on.

He added: "Right now, we are witnessing that a significant part of the agreements between Iran and Russia worth $40 billion is becoming contracts, among which the development of oil and gas fields and the development of relations in the economic fields are of double importance."

The former director of international affairs of NIOC, referring to the contract for the purchase and construction of downhole pumps between the executive headquarters of Setad Farman Imam (RA) and Russian companies, said: "Using the technology available in these pumps, we can increase the production of low-yield oil wells, hence it can be said that cooperation with Russian knowledge-based companies will be very profitable for Iran's oil industry in the future.”

Khatibi added: “Iran and Russia's determination to cooperate in the field of the oil industry and economic and banking relations to break the sanctions is serious. The cooperation capacities between the two countries are becoming actual day by day.”

Emphasizing that the relations between Iran and Russia are becoming a successful model of diplomacy in the world, he said: “When the two sides' memorandums become contracts, other countries such as the Caspian Sea countries will be encouraged to cooperate with Iran to access high seas. Therefore, the operationalization of Iran-Russia agreements can reduce the doubts of other countries to increase relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran.”