TEHRAN — Alexander Lavrentiev, the Russian Special Presidential Envoy on Syrian Reconciliation, and Sergey Vershinin, Russia's deputy foreign minister, headed a delegation to Tehran on Sunday to discuss bilateral relations and regional cooperation, especially the Syria issue, with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian.

The Russian delegation arrived in Tehran from Damascus after talks with Syrian officials.

In the meeting, Amir Abdollahian emphasized the Iranian government's serious attention to relations between the two countries in various fields, the mutual visits of high-level delegations between the two countries, and the recent telephone conversation between the presidents of Iran and the Russian Federation.

They also described Iran-Russia relations as “stable and long-lasting.”

Referring to the regional cooperation between the two countries, Amir Abdollahian described the joint cooperation between the two countries in Syria as a completely successful experience that has been formed within the framework of the will of the Syrian government.

The Iranian foreign minister also stressed the need to use the successful experience of the joint cooperation between the two countries in the fight against terrorism in Syria and use this model for close cooperation in the economic sphere. 

He also pointed to the need to reconstruct Syria and stabilize the country.

Iran’s top diplomat reiterated that the Tehran-Moscow cooperation within the framework of the Astana format and the intra-Syria talks are the only solution to the Syrian crisis.

For their parts, Lavrentiev and Vershinin also delivered Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s regards to his Iranian counterpart, as well as discussing various issues of mutual interest in bilateral and multilateral areas. 

They called the issues related to Syria important and explained the latest developments concerning Syria at the international stage during their visit to Damascus.

Russian delegation meets Iranian special envoy for Syria

The Russian delegation also met with Ali Asghar Khaji, the Iranian Foreign Ministry’s special envoy for Syria, to discuss regional cooperation between the two countries, with a particular focus on Syria.

Referring to the partnership of Iran and Russia in the fight against terrorism in Syria, Khaji, who also acts as senior advisor Foreign Minister Amir Abdollahian, stressed the need for close cooperation between the two countries in maintaining the Syrian sovereignty, reconstruct the country and help stabilize it.

Referring to Iran’s hosting of the Astana summit, he stressed the importance of pursuing a political solution to the Syrian crisis in the form of the Astana format and the continuation of the Syrian-Syrian dialogue within the framework of the Syrian Constitutional Committee.

The Russian delegation appreciated the warm welcome of the Iranian side and said, "Dialogue and consultation with the Iranian side at various levels have always been effective and important."

The Russian officials also stressed the importance of a political solution to the Syrian crisis and strengthening the Syrian national dialogue to activate joint meetings within the framework of Astana format and bilateral understanding.

On November 17, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad hosted the Russian delegation, discussing preparations for meeting of the Syrian Constitutional Committee which is scheduled to be held in Geneva in August next year.