Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu who arrived in the Iranian capital of Tehran on Tuesday afternoon was received for a meeting by Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Bagheri.
In the meeting, Bagheri said that “The developments that have occurred in the world today show that the period of the unipolar world is over and it is time to move towards a multipolar world.”
He added that the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei favors long-term cooperation between Iran and Russia, adding that a long-term cooperation document between Iran and Russia is being drafted.
“This document has strong military and defense dimensions and can be a suitable platform for the development of long-term cooperation between the two countries,” the Iranian general said.
“Despite the development that has been made in the relations between the two countries in recent years, we still believe that there is significant unused potential in the relations between the two countries and we should make more efforts to bring the relations between the two countries to the desired level,” he added.
“The military sectors of Iran and Russia are actually among the pioneers of upgrading the relations between the two countries,” he also said, adding that “the holding of joint military and defense commissions between the two countries can accelerate the process of growing ties.”
He went on to note that “The Islamic Republic of Iran considers the holding of joint exercises in February next year as an opportunity to improve the level of defense and military relations between the two countries.”
General Bagheri also announced Iran’s readiness to assist in resolving regional disputes including the row between the two neighboring countries of Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Russian defense minister, for his part, expressed his appreciation for the hospitality of the Islamic Republic of Iran and declared the purpose of his trip to be developing defense cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
Shoigu also announced his country’s readiness to resolve the disputes between the neighboring countries of Azerbaijan and Armenia.
He also emphasized educational (training) cooperation, student exchange at the university levels and holding joint exercises between the two countries.
MNA