MESOP BACKGROUNDER : Tehran Plays Up Alliance With Russia (SYRIA)

November 15 – Iran’s regime has played up its developing alliance with Russia, hosting the chair of Moscow’s Federation Council, Valentina Matviyenko.Amid the Russian-Iranian campaign to prop up Syria’s Assad regime, President Rouhani said on Monday: There is strategic cooperation between Iran and Russia to fight terrorism and such cooperation will continue until the eradication of terrorism in the region.

Terrorist groups are dangerous for the entire region and the world and we must continue with the fight against these groups along with each other until the eradication of terrorism and the establishment of stability and the will of the Syrian people over their country’s affairs.

Rouhani also urged Russia to support Iran in the implementation of the July 2015 nuclear agreement, urging the removal of remaining US sanctions.

Russia is one of the 5+1 Powers who negotiated the deal with Tehran after more than a decade of tension over Iran’s nuclear program.

Matviyenko gave an encouraging response in the “very constructive and lengthy” discussion, summarizing Rouhani’s hope that “Russia will continue to exert influence on the Western countries to have them implement their liabilities under this agreement in order to unfreeze other issues and lift remaining restrictions against Iran to give it a possibility to develop”.

The legislator, who also saw Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, added, “We are leaving Iran being absolutely confident in the sincerity of the Iranian side’s plans to expand our cooperation, first of all, in the spheres of economy, investments, energy, and in the humanities.” www.mesop.de