MOSCOW -- The Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) officially opened a Russian language news service here on Monday with a message from Iranian Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Ahmad Masjed-Jamei.

In his message, Masjed-Jamei underlined the important role of the media, particularly the print media, in strengthening relations by and among countries as well as promoting an exchange of cultures and views among the world's peoples.

Referring to the historical and cultural commonalities of regional countries, he urged them to exploit all existing capabilities and potentials to achieve cooperation for laudable ends.

He pointed to the need to achieve coordination and cooperation by regional states, saying these can effectively deter certain governments from imposing their unilateral will and military ambitions on the world.

The Iranian minister further pointed to IRNA's positive and constructive cooperation with important regional news agencies, including ITAR-TASS and RIA-Novosti, as positive indications of a will to achieve mutual understanding and promote the common interests of countries in news dissemination.

He expressed the hope that the new IRNA service in the Russian language will succeed in covering Iranian and regional developments for its Russian-speaking clients and thereby keep them abreast with ongoing events in the sensitive region.

The news network was temporary initiated by IRNA three months ago with the aim of extending its news coverage to all corners of the globe through this language.