Russia cooperation with Iran in energy sector

Speaking to the Islamic republic news agency on the sidelines of an international conference on energy in Moscow on Thursday, Russian Deputy Energy Minister Yury Sentyurin stated that Iran is a valuable partner for Russia in the field of energy cooperation. Sentyurin said that that Russia predicts a bright future for its cooperation with Iran. Pointing to Russia's contribution to construction of Bushehr power plant, Sentyurin said Russia is willing to continue its cooperation with Iran. "Iran-Russia cooperation is not limited to a mutual one, but also they are willing to engage in economic cooperation with Afghanistan for reconstruction of that country as suggested in an international conference held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan recently," he said. Iran and Russia are two strong neighboring countries which enjoy a special position in the international arena. They held constant consultations on key regional and global issues in the past. Russian officials have on various occasions reiterated their country's strong opposition to fresh sanctions against Iran, and urged a negotiated end to the differences between Iran and the West. Despite the rules enshrined in the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) entitling every member state, including Iran, to the right of uranium enrichment, Tehran is now under four rounds of UN Security Council sanctions for turning down West's calls to give up its right of uranium enrichment. Tehran has dismissed West's demands as politically tainted and illogical, stressing that sanctions and pressures merely consolidate Iranians' national resolve to continue the path.