Iran, Russia presidents discuss JCPOA implementation, Middle East developments

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday held a phone conversation with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. During the call, Putin once again offered congratulations to Rouhani on his landslide reelection victory, Press TV reports.

During the phone conversation, the Iranian president said that Tehran welcomes the expansion of cooperation with its neighboring countries, including Russia, adding, "Iran is ready to bolster bilateral and regional cooperation with Russia with more determination and we will witness more close cooperation between the two countries in the future.

Rouhani also said Iran-Russia cooperation would help promote regional peace and stability and contribute to the fight against terrorism, particularly in Syria.

Certain activities by [some] countries, including the new US administration and Saudi Arabia, will further complicate the regional situation," the Iranian president said. He urged all countries to make efforts for a genuine battle against terrorism and toward establishing stability in the region.

For his part, the Russian president said his country is concerned about acts of aggression by certain countries in Syria.

He added that Russia and Iran are present in Syria at the request of Syria's legitimate government and based on the principles of international regulations, saying Tehran and Moscow would continue their cooperation to promote peace and stability in the region, particularly in Syria.