Mohammad Mokhber, who made the statement in a meeting with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak on the sidelines of the 17th Joint Economic Commission between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Russian Federation in Tehran, added the two countries’ economic, political, and international relations have considerably expanded since the 13th administration took office in August 2021.

He pointed to Iran-Russia joint projects and said some of these projects such as the strategic International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and Iran’s southern ports development projects are very important not only to the two countries, but also to the region.

Iranian officials are seriously following up the progress of the INSTC and the Rasht-Astara railway projects, said Mokhber, expressing hope that the INSTC project will be completed in collaboration with the Russian side as soon as possible.

The Russian deputy prime minister, for his part, said Russia attaches great significance to the development of relations with Iran, as a neighboring and friendly state, adding Tehran-Moscow ties have been greatly broadened particularly during the 13th administration thanks to positive views and strong will of the two countries’ high-ranking officials.

More than 200 Russians from the economic and private sectors have come to Iran to take part in the joint commission meetings and follow up the previous agreements and exchange views on new projects, Novak continued.

He added the declaration the Iranian and Russian foreign ministers have recently signed to counter coercive measures and unilateral sanctions, the Free Trade Agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union with the Islamic Republic of Iran, and bilateral comprehensive cooperation agreement are the major steps taken to foster bilateral ties.

Shifting to the International North-South Transport Corridor, Novak expressed the Russian side’s readiness to complete the project and make initial arrangements for setting up the Rasht-Astara railway.

He also said Iran and Russia have cooperated in the fields of oil fields development, oil production, gas exports, monetary and banking, nuclear energy, and the private sectors’ economic activities over the past two years.