Exclusive: Pezeshkian’s Moscow visit unblocks trade opportunities, says Russian official

TEHRAN (Iran News)  A representative to the state-owned Russian Export Center (REC) says Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s last month visit to Moscow and the signing of the Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership created legal avenues to eliminate obstacles in the way of trade between the two countries.

Khosrow Hassan Begoff made the remark in an exclusive interview with IRNA, which was published on Sunday, commenting on the visit by Pezeshkian on January 17 when he and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin signed the Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.

Begoff said that Pezeshkian’s visit marks a significant advancement in the strategic partnership between Iran and Russia, and that his meeting with Putin and Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin demonstrated a mutual commitment to deepening cooperation in various sectors, including energy, transportation, agriculture and advanced technologies.

The Russian representative also said that the signing of the treaty is a historical milestone that opens new horizons for mutual trade and is expected to significantly grow trade, particularly in agriculture, energy, and mechanical engineering, in the coming years.

The treaty lays the groundwork for ambitious projects such as the construction of transportation corridors, including the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), which connects Russia to Iran and India, the official said.

Moreover, the agreement facilitates negotiations on customs procedures, banking and financial transactions, and investments between Tehran and Moscow, he said, adding that the implementation of the Free Trade Agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and Iran is expected to enhance the trade exchanges between the Islamic Republic and the Russian Federation as well.

He concluded that President Pezeshkian’s trip to Moscow and the signing of the treaty opened new avenues for enhancing cooperation between Iran and Russia.