Alwaght- Russian President Vladimir Putin received Iranian Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s Foreign Policy Adviser Ali Akbar Velayati in his Novo-Ogaryovo residence on Thursday.
The meeting also involved Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, while the Iranian delegation also included head of the Supreme Leader’s board of advisers Ali Asghar Fathi Sarbangoli and Iran’s Ambassador to Russia Mehdi Sanai.
Speaking to reporters before the meeting, Velayati stressed that the bilateral relations in the fields of defense, politics, economy, nuclear industry and security indicate a long-term plan for cooperation between Iran and Russia.
He also highlighted the need for closer cooperation with Russia given the current critical situation in the world affected by US President Donald Trump’s measures and decisions.
Velayati is also slated to hold talks with a number of other senior Russian officials during his stay in Moscow.
Speaking in an interview with IRIB on Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi said Velayati 's is visiting Moscow to deliver a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
He added that Leader's advisor on international affairs, visit to Russia is part of efforts to make Iran's stance clear after the US pullout from a historic nuclear agreement signed between Tehran and the P5+1 group of countries in 2015.
US President Donald Trump announced on May 8 that Washington was walking away from the nuclear agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), signed between Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council -- the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia -- plus Germany in 2015.
Trump also said he plans to reinstate US nuclear sanctions on Iran and impose "the highest level" of economic bans on the Islamic Republic.
Under the JCPOA, Iran undertook to put limits on its nuclear program in exchange for the removal of nuclear-related sanctions imposed against Tehran.
Qassemi said, "After Trump's strategic mistake to exit the multilateral and international accord, the JCPOA, the Islamic Republic of Iran decided to dispatch a number of its special representatives" to other countries.
He added that these special envoys "carry messages of high-ranking" Iranian officials about the country's viewpoints and stance on the selfish US behavior which runs counter to international regulations.
The Iranian spokesperson explained that Velayati's visit to Moscow would also take place in line with such a policy and noted that he would also travel to China.
"As two neighbors, Moscow and Tehran have commonalities and common interests in regional and international arenas. So, the meeting between Velayati and Putin at the Kremlin and conveying messages of high-ranking Iranian officials can be very important," he pointed out.
He said Velayati would also hold talks with other Russian officials on bilateral relations in political and economic sectors as well as leading regional and international issues, including the US withdrawal from the JCPOA.
