National
0

Leader’s Advisor in Moscow for Talks

Leader’s Advisor in Moscow for Talks
Leader’s Advisor in Moscow for Talks

An adviser to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei is in Moscow to hold talks with senior Russian officials.

Ali Akbar Velayati, the adviser to the Leader on international affairs, arrived in Moscow on Monday. The visit comes at the invitation of the director of Russian Institute of Strategic Studies, Leonid Petrovich Reshetnikov.

Ahead of his departure for Moscow, Velayati said the four-day visit is in line with the "accomplishment of the strategic policies" of the Leader.

He described Iran and Russia as two influential countries in both the region and the world which "can play a very constructive role in establishing peace and [creating] a suitable condition for [promoting] international interactions," Press TV reported. Referring to cooperation between Tehran and Moscow in the battle against terrorism, Velayati said, "Iran and Russia are the main pillars of regional cooperation."

Velayati, who also heads the Center for Strategic Research of Iran's Expediency Council, added that he will meet with high-ranking officials from the Russian Federation and address a press conference in Moscow as well.

The senior Iranian official paid a visit to Moscow in January 2015 as a special envoy of President Hassan Rouhani, during which he submitted the Iranian president's message to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

In Velayati's meeting with Putin, the two sides agreed on efforts to promote Iran's status in Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Iran, which has an observer status at the SCO, is keen to become a full member in the organization.

The two sides also discussed bilateral relations in political and economic fields.

Iran and Russia have similar stances on the ongoing deadly crisis in Syria. Moscow and Tehran reject any foreign interference in the war-hit country's affairs, saying only the Syrians are entitled to decide about their country's fate.

 

Financialtribune.com