OREANDA-NEWS. Vladimir Putin met with President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Hassan Rouhani.

The two presidents discussed a broad range of bilateral cooperation matters and possible roads to resolving complicated international issues.

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PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA VLADIMIR PUTIN: Mr President, colleagues, friends, my greetings to you all.

We are very pleased to have this opportunity to meet with you on the sidelines of the SCO summit. Let me congratulate you personally on your election as President of Iran and wish you success.

We know how the Iranian nuclear issue has become such a focus of attention in world affairs today, but we in Russia also know that Iran is our country’s good neighbour, and one does not choose one’s neighbours. There has always been considerable cooperation between our countries and this will no doubt continue to be so.

We have the chance today to discuss international issues and bilateral matters, including our economic ties. Our relations are developing steadily at all different levels.

I am pleased to have this chance to meet with you in person.

PRESIDENT OF IRAN HASSAN ROUHANI (translated from Russian): Mr President,

First of all, thank you for your message of congratulations on my election as president, and also for sending your high representative to attend the inauguration ceremony.

Russia is our big neighbour and our relations with your country have always been a focus of particular attention from all our governments. The current government wants to expand and develop these relations.

Today, we have the opportunity to exchange views on our bilateral agenda, sensitive regional issues, and international affairs too. We think that the more active the consultations between our countries on regional issues, especially given the sensitive situation in the Middle East, the more this will help to resolve these problems.

As for the Iranian nuclear programme, we seek a speedy resolution to this problem within the framework of international law. Russia has taken important steps in this area in the past, and now there is an excellent opportunity for you to take new steps.

The Russian Federation’s initiative on Syria and the steps the Syrian government has taken give us hope that we will be able to avoid a new war in the region.