Iranian parliament speaker lands in Russia
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf has arrived in Moscow to discuss bilateral ties and deliver leader's 'important message' to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Upon his arrival, the top Iranian parliamentarian was welcomed by Leonid Slutsky, head of the foreign affairs committee in the lower house of the Russian parliament.
Speaking to reporters before his departure for Moscow on Sunday, Mohammad-Bagher Qalibaf added that Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has always emphasized the importance of strategic ties with Russia.
The top Iranian official added that the Leader's emphasis on relations with Russia is why he decided to make his first foreign visit to Russia at the invitation of Chairman of the State Duma Vyacheslav Viktorovich Volodin.
With the planning made in this regard, the Iranian Parliament Speaker is scheduled to deliver a written message from the Leader of the Islamic Revolution to the Russian government.
Ghalibaf said Tehran and Moscow enjoy "very good" relations in various fields, including economy, politics, defense, security, industry, technology and science.
"There are numerous commonalities between Iran and Russia with regard to regional and global issues. Such commonalities could help us develop the existing opportunities, both on regional and international levels, in order to come up with more suitable [political] structures. This would benefit the two countries' relations as well as the people in the region, and would also help global peace-seeking moves," Iran's top parliamentarian said.
Galibaf further highlighted that he would hold talks with the Duma chairman and other senior officials on leading bilateral, regional and international issues.
An advisor to the top Iranian parliamentarian, Babak Negahdari, said on Saturday that the promotion of mutual relations to a strategic level is among the most important objectives of Qalibaf's and added that he would also participate in meetings on economic and trade cooperation.
"In addition to strengthening economic cooperation within the framework of mutual ties, the expansion of trade ties within the framework of Eurasian [Economic] Union…and also discussions about North-South Corridor are among other important issues of Galibaf's visit to Russia," Negahdari added.