President Putin responds to Supreme Leader’s “important” message

Russia’s Ambassador to Tehran Levan Jagarian handed over the response to Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior advisor to Ayatollah Khamenei, on Saturday.

Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Baqer Qalibar had delivered the message in the form of a letter by the Leader, to Chairman of the State Duma Vyacheslav Viktorovich Volodin during a three-day visit to Moscow in February.

Speaking during the trip, Qalibaf had noted that through the message, Ayatollah Khamenei had laid emphasis on the “strong and strategic nature of relations between Iran and Russia.”

The quality of the ties had rendered them insusceptible to political changes and unilateral approaches throughout the world, Qalibaf had added, still citing the contents of the letter.

In their Saturday meeting, Velayati and the Russian envoy also addressed the issue of bilateral relations, stressing the importance of their development in all areas, including the defense, oil, nuclear, industrial, agricultural, and trade sectors.

Velayati called the neighbors “important friends” to one another, whose strategic relationship was characterized by “adherence to reciprocal respect.”

The official pointed to the longevity of the countries’ strategic ties as well as their economic, cultural, and commercial cooperation, and noted how regional situations and developments had deepened the two sides’ cooperation and interaction even further.

The advisor cited Iran and Russia’s decisive contribution to Syria’s anti-terror struggle that has been going on at Damascus’ request, and their consultations and contribution to restoration of peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia late last year as important instances of their successful cooperation.

In the case of Syria, Velayati said, Tehran and Moscow’s “very effective cooperation” helped the Arab country triumphantly resist “an imposed international war” that was recruiting more than 70 countries. He was referring to the 2014 invasion of Syria by a bloated United States-led coalition under the pretext of fighting the Takfiri terrorist group of Daesh.

The coalition was, despite its sheer size, making questionably slow progress – if any – against the terrorists. Many reports and regional officials began warning at the height of the coalition’s operation in Syria about its transferring Daesh elements about and airdropping supplies for them.

Velayati said the strategic nature of the Russo-Iranian relations, therefore, warranted effective cooperation on the regional and international arenas.

The Russia ambassador, for his part, expressed delight concerning the progressive quality of the bilateral ties, noting that the countries had taken “effective steps” towards enhancing the relations.