Russian President’s Special Envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentiev made the remarks in a meeting with Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani in Tehran on Tuesday.

Despite widespread media attempts to turn a recent trilateral meeting between the security officials of Russia, US and Israel into an anti-Iran event, Lavrentiev said that “Russia’s clear and explicit stance on Iran’s legitimate presence in Syria and its opposition to ineffective maximum pressure policy on the Islamic Republic was conveyed to the participants at the summit.”

Lavrentiev described Iran as a powerful country in the region and a friend and strategic partner for Russia, stressing without considering the role the interests of the Islamic Republic of Iran, achieving effective and sustainable regional peace is impossible.

The Russian envoy referred to US unilateral withdrawal from Iran nuclear deal also known as the JCPOA, saying that Iran cannot be expected to stay in the deal without benefitting from it while the other countries do not carry out their commitments.

Ali Shamkhani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, hailed the increasing Iran-Russia cooperation as two friendly countries and strategic partners, and expressed his appreciation to Russia for its decisive and fair stances on Iran-related issues such as the JCPOA, the US drone infiltration into Iran’s airspace, Iran’s legitimate presence in Syria and more recently the UK’s illegal seizure of Iranian oil tanker in the Gibraltar.

The top Iranian security official pointed out that the US is escalating tensions in the region with the aim of selling more arms, while stressing that the Islamic Republic will continue its political and defensive actions to prevent instability in the region.

He further noted that Iran will decisively defend its interests and security.

It is worth saying that Russian President’s Special Envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentiev is in Iran to present a report on the trilateral meeting between the security officials of Russia, US and Israel, which was held recently in the occupied lands of Palestine (Israel).