Russia will not give up its political dialogue with Iran and is ready to expand cooperation with the gulf country in all areas, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov said Wednesday.

"We are ready to promote and enlarge both the political dialog and cooperation in all areas" with Iran, Fradkov said at a meeting with Irania's First Vice-President Parviz Dadwoodi, who arrived here to attend the conference of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) prime ministers as an observer.

Russia is convinced that under the new Iranian leadership, the two countries will maintain and advance their friendly relations, according to the Russian premier.

The relations between Russia and Iran "rely on a solid legal groundwork and have developed into a multifaceted partnership," Fradkov said.

He noted that the two countries' relations are based on a massive treaty base and have acquired signs of a many-sided partnership.

Fradkov meanwhile expressed satisfaction with the fact that Iran and Russia have coinciding or close opinions on many international and regional issues, such as building a multi-polar world order and the UN's participation in the Afghan and Iraqi settlement.

Iran's participation in the meeting of the SCO's prime ministers council as an observer is an important development, and "will significantly increase effectiveness and will deepen

cooperation" in fighting terrorism and drug trafficking, Fradkov said.

Dawoodi, on his part, said he hoped that Russia and Iran will be able to take more decisive measures in deepening the bilateral cooperation.

The new Iranian president attaches great importance to the development of relations with Russia, the Iranian leader said.

Source: Xinhua