TEHRAN, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Wednesday called for the continuation and strengthening of the "strategic" cooperation between their countries, according to the Iranian president's office.
In a phone call, the Iranian president stressed the need to continue and enhance bilateral cooperation in different areas between the two countries, adding that continuing on that path would serve the two countries' common interests, said a statement published on the website of the Iranian president's office.
Putin, for his part, said collaborations between his country and Iran within the framework of their comprehensive strategic cooperation treaty are continuing despite the ongoing developments and events in the region, underlining the importance of maintaining close relations and cooperation between Moscow and Tehran.
Putin pointed to certain countries' efforts to mediate between Iran and the United States and contribute to the de-escalation of tensions in the West Asia region, emphasizing that Russia supports such diplomatic efforts and stands ready to play a role to that end.
On Feb. 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and other Iranian cities. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. bases and assets in the region, and tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz.
A ceasefire was achieved between the warring parties on April 8. On June 18, Iran and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on ending the war in the region on all fronts.
Under the MoU, the two countries were scheduled to hold negotiations within 60 days, ending on Aug. 17, to reach a final agreement. However, the two sides failed to make sufficient progress toward a deal as tensions continued to escalate. ■
