Russian Defense Minister to Visit Iran January 19 for Talks

Iranian Embassy’s press service confirmed the planned meeting of the Russian Defense Minister with his Iranian counterpart on Monday.

MOSCOW, January 15 (Sputnik) – Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu will hold talks with his colleague in Iran on January 19, the Iranian Embassy’s press service told RIA Novosti on Thursday.

“According to our information, the minister will leave for Iran on Sunday evening, which means that talks with his Iranian colleagues and defense minister will be held on Monday,” the press service said.

Russia and Iran are currently cooperating in several areas. Earlier in January, Russian news agency Rossiya Segodnya signed an agreement with Iran's Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) to increase cooperation.

Back in November 2014, Moscow and Tehran signed an agreement to construct two nuclear reactor units at the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant. Russia is also a member of the P5+1 group of international mediators involved in negotiations with Iranian authorities over Tehran's nuclear program.

Russia and Iran have also sought to increase the volume of food traded between them, as well as the deliveries of nonprimary goods, including oil and gas equipment, cars, planes and agricultural machinery.

In November, the deputy director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's second department on Asian countries, Konstantin Alekseyev, said Moscow hopes that cooperation between Russia and Iran will help both countries overcome the consequences of Western sanctions.