TEHRAN Iran's First Vice-President Hassan Habibi on Sunday offered congratulation to the new Russian Prime Minister Sergei Kiriyenko on his appointment to the post. In his message to the Russian new prime minister, Habibi expressed pleasure with the growing cooperation between Iran and the Russian Federation and said continued contacts between the two countries would serve to develop their friendly relations.

Habibi hoped that during Kiriyenko's term in office bilateral relations as well as regional and international cooperation would further develop. President Yeltsin appointed Kiriyenko, the former energy minister to the post on April 24 after he won the approval of the Russian state Duma. (IRNA)