MOSCOW, June 26 (RIA Novosti) - Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a congratulatory message to Mahmoud Ahmadi Nezhad, who won the presidential elections in Iran, the Kremlin said yesterday.
In the message, the Russian president said he was sure that the election of Nezhad was the expression of the Iranian people's will and that the president-elect would continue what his predecessors did to develop long-term versatile cooperation and partnership between the two countries.
These relations have been developing dynamically, the message said. Trade volume exceeded $2 billion for the first time. The nuclear power plant in Bushehr is nearing completion, and Russia is ready to continue cooperation with Iran in the sphere of peaceful nuclear energy, contribute to political dialog. There are good prospects in cooperation in the spheres of oil and gas, ordinary energy, transport, telecommunications and civil aviation.
Putin said he was convinced that the line oriented toward overwhelming expansion of good-neighborly relations on the basis of equal rights, mutual respect and gain was in line with the Russian and Iranian nations' interests and contributed to international peace and stability.
The Russian president said he hoped after the election, problems related to working out the legal status of the Caspian, environmental cooperation, the fight against terrorism, illicit drugs and organized crime would be resolved more successfully.
"Russia is interested in further interaction with Iran in strengthening peace, stability and security in the region and solving crises," Putin said.
