...

Russian official: Russia, Iran intend to mutually strengthen national security of both countries

Iran Materials 17 August 2011 11:16 (UTC +04:00)
Moscow and Tehran intend to cooperate in ensuring the national security of both countries, within the Russian and Iranian Security Councils' offices, RIA Novosti quotes Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev as saying in Tehran on Tuesday.
Russian official: Russia, Iran intend to mutually strengthen national security of both countries

Moscow and Tehran intend to cooperate in ensuring the national security of both countries, within the Russian and Iranian Security Councils' offices, RIA Novosti quotes Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev as saying in Tehran on Tuesday.

"We agreed on the cooperation of the Security Councils' offices. Of course, this is due to new threats and challenges - such as international terrorism, illicit drug trafficking, and others. In this case, we noted that openness and trust in each party should contribute to our work. And we are not going to work against someone - we are going to cooperate in questions of national security in both Iran and Russia", Patrushev underlined.

He said the parties also discussed bilateral cooperation in various fields, including in the oil and gas industry, which will receive "appropriate signals to activate work", if necessary.

"I am here not only on the invitation of the Iranian Supreme National Security Council Secretary Saeed Jalili, but by order of President Medvedev. We discussed our bilateral cooperation in the spheres of the economy, fuel, energy, transportation, nuclear power, and other sectors. At the same time, we took into account that a meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation will be held in the coming weeks, which we believe will also give impetus to our relations", Patrushev said.

"We also discussed the prospects for cooperation in the oil and gas industries. I would like to emphasize that our offices will not substitute the work of our departments. The departments should and will work on their own. However, if necessary we will give appropriate signals to activate the work", he added.

Speaking about strengthening regional security, Patrushev said that cooperation within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is "promising".

"We discussed issues of regional cooperation and we intend to strengthen regional security, first and foremost, under UN auspices. Cooperation within the SCO is promising. The important thing is cooperation over the Caspian Sea. It is necessary to resolve the legal status of the Caspian Sea and ensure ecological security in the region", Patrushev concluded.

Nikolai Patrushev paid an official visit to Iran on Saeed Jalili's invitation on Aug. 15.
During the visit, he was scheduled to meet with Jalili, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and other officials.

Latest

Latest