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Vladimir Putin met with President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Hassan Rouhani in Ankara. The two leaders discussed the situation in Syria, issues of bilateral cooperation and the developments around the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Iran’s nuclear programme.

On the Russian side, the meeting was attended by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov, Energy Minister Alexander Novak, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Russia’s Special Presidential Envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentyev.

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Beginning of meeting with President of Iran Hassan Rouhani

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr President, colleagues, allow me to extend warm greetings to you at our meeting.

First, I would like to note that ties between Russia and Iran are making great strides. I mean political interaction – we have already met three times.

We actively cooperate in the international arena, within the UN and other organisations, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

I would also like to note the practically completed procedures in the Eurasian Economic Community to create a free trade zone with Iran.

We are actively developing bilateral economic ties: the growth amounted to 17 percent for the first half of this year.

And of course, thanks to our joint efforts, including Iranian efforts, Iran’s significant contribution to the settlement processes in Syria, a lot has been done to eliminate pockets of terrorist resistance and create an effective and, I would say, working mechanism for a political settlement.

I want to note the role of Iran in forming the Constitutional Committee. I hope that we have come to the final stage of this work. And of course, I cannot but note our common position related to preserving the JCPOA.

So we have many topics to discuss. I am very glad to have the opportunity to meet with you on the sidelines of today’s trilateral meeting on the Syrian settlement.

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