Tasnim� Secretary of Iran�s Expediency Council Mohsen Rezaei said Tehran and Moscow, both facing Western sanctions, could use the embargoes as an opportunity to reap economic benefits.

Iran and Russia, both hit by sanctions, can turn the snactions into a �historic opportunity� in cooperation with each other and use the common markets in the region for investment and economic exchange, Rezaei said at a meeting with Russia's Ambassador to Iran Levan Jagarian, held in Tehran on Sunday.

He also called for the enhancement of �strategic cooperation� between Iran and Russia in the economic, political and security arenas.

Hailing Russian politicians for their independent and rational policies and for standing against US pressures, Rezaei said Iranian and Russian decision-makers should regard the bilateral ties as a precious asset.

For his part, Jagarian thanked the Iranian official for his stances, saying Russian President Vladimir Putin�s trip to Iran in November 2015 and his meeting with Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei indicated the warm and respectful relations between the two countries.

Iran and Russia have formed a strong alliance in recent years, with both supporting the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad�s government against foreign-backed militancy.

Since coming into force in January 2016 of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a nuclear deal between Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany), Tehran and Moscow have ramped up efforts to boost trade and political interaction.