Tasnim � Iranian and Russian defense ministers explored avenues for the enhancement of military cooperation between Tehran and Moscow in the fight against terrorism and extremism.





In a telephone conversation on Thursday, Iran�s Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami and his Russian counterpart Sergey Shoygu talked about the latest regional and international developments and the status of military interaction between the two countries.

Pointing to the significant position of military interaction with Russia in Iran�s defense policy agenda, General Hatami said enhancement of the defense power of the two states would contribute to security and stability in the region and the world.

He also attributed the US anger at and mounting pressure on Iran to the cooperation between Tehran and Moscow in the battle against terrorism, particularly in Syria, which he said has foiled �dangerous US plots.�

For his part, the Russian minister called for continued cooperation with Iran in the fight against regional and international terrorist groups.

General Shoygu also stressed the need for sustained coordination between Russia and Iran for combatting violence, extremism and terrorism.

The cooperation between Iran and Russia in Syria has helped to bring about the decline of Takfiri terrorism in the Arab country. Tehran and Moscow, in cooperation with Ankara, have initiated diplomatic efforts for the resolution of the Syria crisis.

A round of peace talks in the Kazakh capital of Astana in May produced a memorandum of understanding on de-escalation zones in Syria, sharply reducing fighting in the country.

Over the past six years, Syria has been fighting foreign-sponsored militancy. More than 400,000 people are estimated to have been killed in the Syrian crisis.

Iran and Russia insist that the Syrian nation is the only side that has the right to shape the future of its own country, supporting the Damascus government against terrorists.