Raeisi, Putin outline Iran’s full participation in BRICS activities
Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin discussed steps to ensure that Tehran fully takes part in BRICS activities as well as the situation around Nagorno-Karabakh and the normalization of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations.
The Kremlin announced on Tuesday that the Russian and Iranian presidents held a telephone conversation on Tuesday at the initiative of the Iranian side, IFP reported.
Ebrahim Raeisi expressed his gratitude for Putin’s “support of the Iranian application to join BRICS.” Moreover, “steps were discussed to ensure that Iran smoothly joins the full-fledged activities of this association, taking into account the chairmanship of Russia in 2024,” the Kremlin said.
The presidents also stressed their intention to strengthen trade and economic ties as well as to promote joint energy and transport projects, it added.
Calling Iran a “strategic partner,” Vladimir Putin expressed hope that by launching the Rasht-Astara railway and linking the railways of Russia, Iran, and Azerbaijan, the trade between the two countries would significantly increase. Putin and Raeisi also expressed interest in intensifying the work of the 3+3 regional consultative platform [Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, plus Russia, Iran, Turkey].
The Kremlin also announced that Putin and Raeisi had a detailed exchange of views on the situation around Nagorno-Karabakh and the normalization of Yerevan-Baku relations.
Putin also briefed Raeisi about the work of Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh, including the provision of humanitarian assistance to civilians and the protection of the rights and security of the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh.
The two presidents also stressed the importance of resolving all issues on Nagoro-Karabakh only by peaceful, political, and diplomatic means.