TEHRAN, Jan. 30 (UPI) -- Iran's president told a top Russian security official Sunday he wanted closer ties to the Kremlin, the RIA Novosti news agency reported.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told Igor Ivanov, the secretary of Russia's Security Council that "he hoped ongoing high-level consultations would strengthen bilateral ties," RIA Novosti said.
"We hope that continual high-level consultations between our countries will accelerate the development of economic, political and cultural relations between Russia and Iran," Ahmadinjead said according to the RIA Novosti report.
The controversial Iranian leader "highlighted the historical links between the countries, and their shared interests in international and regional security, and cooperation in the energy sphere," the Russian news agency said.
"Some powers outside the region do not want Russia and Iran, as two powerful countries, to play an important role in ensuring stability and security in the region and globally. This testifies to the importance of cooperation and exchange of opinions between Moscow and Tehran," Ahmadinejad said.
RIA Novosti said Russia was "a key economic partner of Iran, is building a $1 billion nuclear power plant in the south of the country. Moscow, along with Beijing, has consistently taken a softer line on international sanctions against the Islamic Republic over its controversial nuclear program."
RIA Novosti noted that the United Nations Security Council "unanimously passed a resolution on Iran late last year, which imposed sanctions on the country's nuclear weapons programs but allowed officials to make foreign trips and companies to do business abroad. The sanctions banned activities involving uranium enrichment, chemical reprocessing, heavy water-based projects, and production of means for nuclear weapons delivery."
