TEHRAN. Jan 20 (Interfax) - Russia and Iran have either close or identical opinions on the situation in the Middle East and Afghanistan, Russian Defense Minister Gen. of the Army Sergei Shoigu said after negotiations with his Iranian counterpart Brigadier General Hosein Dehqan.
"We also exchanged opinions on a number of pressing global and regional security issues during the negotiations, first and foremost, the situation in the Middle East and Afghanistan. Our opinions are either close or identical in many aspects," Shoigu said.
The sides emphasized the importance of coordinated efforts in the fight against international terrorism and drug trafficking, the minister said. "We pondered de-escalation of tensions in the area of our responsibility as a primary objective. We intend to bolster contacts in this area. I am hopeful of further close interaction," the Russian minister said.