MOSCOW: Russia said that it has prepared a series of agreements to promote cooperation with Iran in various areas.
Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak has told the media that the agreements could be signed with Iran within the next days.
“We have prepared several documents to be signed. Today or tomorrow, we will decide whether we will sign them at the intergovernmental commission, or at some other events,” Novak has been quoted as saying by Sputnik news agency.
He added that not all the agreements in question center on energy cooperation.
On Tuesday, the head of the Iran-Russia Joint Chamber of Commerce Asadollah Asgaroladi said that Tehran expects to sign “five-six documents” on cooperation with Moscow at an intergovernmental commission meeting this week.
Asgaroladi added that the agreements will concern animal husbandry, agriculture, mining, banking, and visa and customs regulations among other areas.
Iran’s Minister of Communication and Information Technology Mahmoud Vaezi is in Moscow with a delegation of 70 traders as Iran and Russia fast-track their expansion of ties in time for the lifting of sanctions.
Vaezi will have a series of issues on top of the agenda of his visit to Moscow. They include Russia’s plans to open a $5 billion credit line for Iran, the idea of establishing a joint bank and Iran’s membership in the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB).
Oil, gas and petrochemicals as well as construction of power plants and railways are some of the other areas reserved for discussion.
Moscow has indicated to allow Iran into the Eurasian economic, political and military bloc, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), after sanctions are lifted on Tehran.
The two countries are also working to create a joint bank and carry out their transactions in local currencies.
Iran is also interested in joining the EDB, which was founded in 2006 by intergovernmental agreements between Russia and Kazakhstan.
