Iran is interested in implementing proposals by the Russian military to conduct joint military exercises, to strengthen cooperation in ensuring security in the Caspian region and to expand the exchange of military delegations, the Russian ambassador to Iran told RIA Novosti on Thursday.MOSCOW, January 22 (Sputnik)Iran is interested inimplementing proposals bythe Russian military toconduct joint exercises, strengthen cooperation inensuring security inthe Caspian region and toexpand the exchange ofmilitary delegations, the Russian ambassador toIran told RIA Novosti onThursday.
Russia and Iran signed onTuesday an intergovernmental agreement onmilitary cooperation duringthe visit ofRussian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu toTehran.
The sides discussed ways toexpand bilateral military cooperation. The Iranian side expressed interest inthe implementation ofproposals bythe Russian Defense Ministry onjoint military drills, Irans participation invarious international military competitions, strengthening ofcooperation insafeguarding security inthe Caspian Sea, and expansion ofexchange visits by [military] delegations, Levan Dzhagaryan said commenting onthe results ofShoigus visit.
Dzhagaryan said that both Moscow and Tehran acknowledge they share similar views on the majority ofissues ofglobal and regional security, which creates favorable conditions forthe expansion ofthe cooperation oncrisis situations settlement.
According tothe Russian diplomat, Tehran expressed an interest inhelping Moscow strengthen international cooperation underthe framework ofthe Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
Iranian political and military leadership believe that the regions states should take full responsibility forensuring security inthe Near and Middle East, Central Asia and the Trans-Caucasus. Any interference intothis process bythe United States and its allies, made underthe pretext offighting terrorism, leads, infact, tothe emergence ofmore hotbeds ofinstability, Dzhagaryan stressed.
On Tuesday, afterhis meeting withShoigu, Iranian Defense and Armed Forces Logistics Minister Hossein Dehghan said that Moscow and Tehran agreed tocounter external meddling inregional affairs. The minister said US foreign policy was amongthe main reasons why the situation inthe region had worsened.
Relations betweenMoscow and Tehran are currently attheir highest level and should remain strong throughout2015, Russian Ambassador toIran Levan Dzhagaryan said Thursday.
"Relations betweenRussia and Iran are currently attheir highest level. Confirmation ofthis comes fromthe results oflast year which was marked byconsiderable activity inbilateral contacts inall areas," Dzhagaryan told RIA Novosti inan interview.
The ambassador pointed outthat last year saw numerous meetings atvarious levels betweenthe countries, including parliamentary meetings, security councils and meetings betweentheir foreign affairs ministries.
"We expect this trend tocontinue this year," Dzhagaryan added.
On Tuesday, the defense ministers ofIran and Russia signed major deals onmilitary and military-technical cooperation, also agreeing tofight regional security threats together.
Iran backed Russia afterMoscow was subjected toseveral waves ofWestern economic sanctions in2014 overits alleged interference inthe Ukrainian conflict. During his visit toMoscow inAugust 2014, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohhaman Javad Zarif joined the Kremlin indenouncing anti-Russia sanctions asan "illegal means ofapplying pressure and an intrusion onpolicy fromthe outside."
In November 2014, Moscow and Tehran inked a deal forthe construction oftwo nuclear reactors inIran and the option foranother six. Russia will also provide nuclear fuel forthe reactors.
By Sputnik News
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