Russia, Iran Set to Sign Comprehensive Partnership

JAKARTA - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko said in an interview that Russia and Iran have put the finishing touches on a comprehensive cooperation agreement, setting the stage for the signing of the historic document.

"During quite productive consultations between experts from the legal and regional departments of the foreign ministries of the two countries held in Moscow on June 21, the text was finalized," he explained, as reported by TASS on July 23.

"According to the results of these consultations, it was agreed to launch the necessary internal procedures to prepare the agreement for signing within the framework of high-level bilateral cooperation in the near future. We hope that soon we will witness this truly historic event," the senior diplomat continued.

"The editing of such a serious document, which is intended to raise the status of Russian-Iranian relations to the level of a comprehensive strategic partnership, has taken almost two and a half years and today it can be considered complete," Rudenko said.

Previously, IRNA reported that Iranian President-elect Masoud Pezeshkian in a telephone conversation with Russian leader Vladimir Putin said Tehran was ready to sign a comprehensive cooperation agreement with Moscow at the BRICS summit in Kazan in October.