Shamkhani: Iran-Russia should fight common threats

Ali Shamkhani made the remarks in a Wednesday meeting with his Russian counterpart on the sidelines of a security meeting on Afghanistan in Moscow.

Shamkhani said the consultative meeting of Afghanistan’s neighbors, after five years since its launch, has grown into an initiative with an acceptable level of effectiveness in bringing the viewpoints of regional countries closer together.

He also said the implementation of agreements between the two countries, especially in the field of economy, should speed up, noting that careful adherence to the agreements made during the 16th meeting of the joint economic cooperation commission will help those ties jump to a higher level.

The top Iranian security official also underlined the significance of curbing “insecurity factors” in the region that are rooted in the increasingly open and covert interventions by foreign countries.

He urged greater coordination with Russia in international bodies and organizations and such mechanisms as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the BRICS bloc.

During the meeting, Nikolai Patrushev also said speeding up key joint projects including those in the fields of transit, oil and natural gas can serve as an impetus for cooperation in other areas.

He expressed hope that the visit by Shamkhani both helps enhance bilateral ties and cooperation and a regional consensus on such “crisis points” as Afghanistan.