BRUSSELS. Sept 26 (Interfax-AVN) - Iran may contribute in some way to the anti-terrorist operation in Afghanistan, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said in Brussels on Wednesday in response to a question asked by Interfax.
"Iran and nobody else will determine the degree to which the country will get involved in the anti-terrorist operation," he said.
Russia, which has closer contacts with that country than the United States or its allies in the anti-terrorist coalition, may hold additional consultations with Iran on fighting terrorism, Ivanov said.
"Because our relations with Iran are generally normal and those of partnership as far as Afghanistan is concerned, we will be able to find a common ground for interaction with Tehran in this issue," he said.
The Russian and Iranian presidents had a telephone talk on Monday, Ivanov recalled.
"I expect Iranian Defense Minister Ali Shamkhani's visit in Moscow in early October. Our discussion is bound to cover ways to fight terrorism and drug trafficking," he said.
"Iran supports the Northern Alliance and vigorously fights drug trafficking," Ivanov said.