Teheran Ready to Cooperate with Moscow in North Caucasus

Iranian foreign minister Kamal Kharrazi declared Iran was ready to cooperate with Russia in establishing stability and security in the North Caucasus, including in Chechnya. He said in an exclusive interview with RIA Novosti that during their negotiations Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov and he considered "a number of issues pertaining to ensuring stability and security" in the Caucasus, in particular the problems of Chechnya, Nagorno-Karabakh, Abkhazia and Georgia.

"More coordination and collaboration should exist between the countries of the region. We should strive to establish a peaceful and stable life in the North Caucasus," believes the Iranian minister. Iran, he stressed, "is ready to cooperate in this sphere with Russia and other countries of the region." Kharrazi reported that the sides also discussed the question of raising the role of Russia and Iran in establishing stability in the Caucasus and Central Asia, as well as the problems of the Caspian Sea.

He believes that "Russian-Iranian cooperation is developing successfully." Kharrazi pointed out that during his meetings with the Russian foreign minister attention was also paid to the spheres of cooperation where it could be further developed." The Iranian foreign minister believes that "the visit was timely and successful on the whole."