“The enemies [of the Islamic Republic of Iran] have mounted a propaganda campaign to instill the idea that the Russians’ approach to Syria has changed and this is their plot to create disagreement and divide between Tehran and Moscow but their plots were foiled,” said Shoaib Bahman, an international affairs pundit, in an interview with Mehr News Agency.
The interview was carried out concurrent with Mr. Velayati’s visit to Moscow. Mr. Velayati, Leader’s senior advisor, left Tehran for Moscow on Wednesday for a Thursday meeting with Russian President Putin. He was tasked to deliver the special messages of Iran’s Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and President Rouhani to Mr. Putin.
Mr. Bahman asserted that Velayati’s visit to Moscow was in line with former efforts of Tehran and Moscow to broaden bilateral ties in areas of economic and political cooperation.
“While we were witnessing an extensive campaign of consultations by American, Zionist regime, and Arab sides to influence Russia’s stance towards the Islamic Republic of Iran or undermine the close ties between Tehran and Moscow, the timely visit of Mr. Velayati to Moscow happened and the messages of the Leader and president were delivered to Mr. Putin,” he added.
“During this visit some important and noteworthy areas were discussed. The first thing was expansion and continuation of bilateral relations of the two countries in political and economic as well as other dimensions. The second thing discussed in the meeting was the issue of the JCPOA considering the US withdrawal from the agreement and Trump’s plan to pose more pressure on Iran especially in the field of economy. And finally the two sides exchanged views on how to tap Russia’s international and political capacity,” recounted the political commentator.
“In respect to regional issues, the Syrian crisis was another area of talks between Mr. Velayati and Mr. Putin. While some countries were trying to wedge a gap between Iran and Russia in regards to Syrian crisis and at the same time were trying to persuade Iran, through the channel of Russians, to withdraw its forces from Syria or minimize its presence in Syria, the meeting showed that Iran and Russia have shared interests in this issue,” he added.
“Based on what both Iranian and Russian sides have announced after Mr. Velayati’s visit to Moscow, relatively good agreements have been reached between Iran and Russia which indicates that Israeli American efforts of the past months have been futile and Tehran-Moscow relations are still expanding, progressing, and growing,” he said.
“The other issue which is still of prime importance is the trilateral summit of Iran, Russia, and Turkey in the form of Astana talks in Tehran,” Mr. Bahman reiterated.
“The core of issue is a positive point that the summit of three guarantor states of Syrian peace talks will be held in Tehran,” he highlighted.
Prior to Velayati’s visit to Moscow, Foreign ministry Spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said that, “Moscow and Tehran have many commonalities and shared interests in regional and international areas and that makes the meeting of Mr. Velayti and Mr. Putin in Kremlin all the more important.”
Iranian Parliamentary Director General for International Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said, before Velayati’s visit to Moscow, that Leader’s message to Putin, delivered by Velayati, is about taking the opportunity to contain common threats.
Pointing to the trip of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to Moscow and repetition of his baseless and unfounded claims against Iran, Velayati in Moscow said, “the development trend of amicable ties between Iran and Russia is reciprocal and will not be affected by the intervention of other countries especially Zionist regime.”
A Top Aide to Iran’s Leader Ali Akbar Velayati said Fri. that during his visit to Moscow, Russia and Iran put an end to the rumors that Russia’s cooperation with Resistance Front has ended, adding Putin and Erdogan will visit Tehran to hold talks on Syria.
Interview by: Mohammad Mehdi Maleki
Translation by Yasser Nazifi Gilavan
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