Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called for the development of military and defense cooperation with Russia, Tasnim reported.

At a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Tehran, Rouhani noted the need to expand military and defense cooperation between Iran and Russia, taking into account the lifting of the UN embargo on arms supplies to Iran in October 2020.

He also highlighted the need to maintain peace and stability in the region, stating that the security of the region should be ensured by the states of the region themselves. Noting Iran's readiness to intensify regional cooperation in order to ensure peace and stability, the Iranian President called this a strategic step against the unilateral approach of the United States and interference in regional affairs.

He also called for efforts to expand economic and trade ties between Tehran and Moscow, saying that bilateral relations should develop without any foreign pressure.

For his part, Lavrov noted that there are no restrictions on the development of cooperation with Iran, including defense and technical cooperation. 

According to him, Russia and Iran have common goals in regional and international cooperation. Pointing to the latest round of meetings on the Vienna JCPOA and the United States' readiness to return to a nuclear deal, the Russian diplomat said Moscow believed that the only solution would be Washington's unconditional return to the JCPOA through the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2231.