Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Ashtiani said the media speculations on the joint production of warships between Iran and Russia are groundless.
“We ourselves are manufacturer of fighter jets and destroyers,” he added.
The minister explained that Iran and Russia have “strategic” relations and are cooperating in various sectors.
The general noted, however, that Iran may take advantage of Russia’s know-how to sort out a series of problems in the research process.
In March, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian unveiled plans to finalize a draft agreement on comprehensive and strategic cooperation with Russia.
“High-ranking Iranian and Russian delegations at different levels are exchanging views, and the presidents of the two countries are in constant contact with each other,” the top Iranian diplomat said in a meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Moscow on March 29.
In 2001, Tehran and Moscow signed a 10-year cooperation deal that was lengthened to 20 years through two five-year extensions.
