TEHRAN -- Iran’s foreign minister has lauded President Ebrahim Raisi’s recent trip to Russia, saying the two-day visit had great achievements for the country and brought about openness in relations with regard to Tehran’s foreign policy.
Raisi, at the head of a high-ranking Iranian delegation, met Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow last week, as part of comprehensive plans to expand all-out bilateral relations and secure mutual interests.
“Ayatollah Raisi’s visit to Moscow has been a great achievement for the country. During three hours of negotiations, Mr. Putin behaved with full and special respect, and the necessary decisions were made on important issues of mutual interest,” Hussein Amir-Abdollahian said in a post on his Instagram account.
“We are witnessing openness in the country’s foreign relations,” the top Iranian diplomat added. “At the same time, in foreign policy, the definition of ‘common interests’ is the framework for moving towards the national interests of countries.”
Amir-Abdollahian also “agreements, achievements and various plans of the presidency in Moscow show a successful trip and confirm the active diplomacy of the president.”
“We are determined not to forget the unity of Iran and Iranians in order to weather crises and overcome problems,” he added.
During the trip, which began on January 19, Tehran and Moscow reached agreements to expand their cooperation in the industry, defense, and aerospace sectors, Raisi said.
The Iranian president said the two sides discussed steps to challenge the dominance of the U.S. dollar and continue trade in their national currencies, adding that, in the field of transportation, Tehran and Moscow decided to advance the North-South corridor which will facilitate transportation and greatly reduce transportation time.
On the first day of his trip, which he described as a “turning point” in Iran-Russia relations, Raisi had a three-hour meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, during which the Iranian president said the Islamic Republic seeks to forge strategic relations with Moscow.
Later on Wednesday, he met with Iranians residing in Russia. On Thursday, Raisi addressed the State Duma and attended the prayers at the Moscow Grand Mosque at the invitation of Rawil Gaynutdin, chairman of the Russian Mufti Council.