Moscow and Tehran have developed strong ties over the past years and as a result have boosted their respective economies, Russian President Vladimir Putin told his Iranian counterpart, Ebrahim Raisi. The iranian president arrived in Moscow on a sate visit on Thursday.
The two leaders discussed both bilateral ties and wider global challenges, including the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Russia and Iran had built “good momentum” over the past year, Putin told Raisi, pointing to cooperation in energy and education. The states are also investing in Iranian railroads, which are destined to become a part of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).
A network of sea, rail, and highway routes spanning over 7,200km, the INSTC is designed to link Russia’s city of St. Petersburg, on the Baltic Sea, to Mumbai in India through the Caspian Sea and Iran. The project, the genesis of which dates back to 2002, involves a total of 11 nations.