On Saturday June 9, Russian president Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani met in Qingdao, China on the sidelines of on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit.
Iran has an observer status in the SCO, and Putin said that Moscow would support the full-fledged Iranian membership.
“Iran has long been involved in the work of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. We are aware of your desire to join our organization. You know Russia’s position on this issue. We will support your aspiration,” Putin said, according to the Kremlin.
“I must say that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is a very influential association that ensures security in this region, and Iran has been quite active in recent years in cooperating with this organization,” Russian leader noted.
Speaking at the start of his Saturday’s meeting with Putin, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani hailed close ties between Russia and Iran.
“I must express my gratitude for your position on admitting Iran as a full member of this organization. As for our bilateral relations with the great Russia, our good neighbor, I must say that they are developing every day. Bilateral relations between our countries are unique and special, because they cover all levels and all issues,” Rouhani said
Rouhani said that the U.S. exit from the nuclear agreement with Iran warrants an “important and serious discussion between our two countries.”
“As for the nuclear agreements, I must say that the Russian Federation has played a very important and constructive role in the implementation of these agreements. I also think that a more serious and more profound dialogue between our two countries is needed with regard to the United States’ illegal withdrawal from these agreements.”
