The 19th Iran–Russia Joint Commission opened yesterday in Tehran, focusing on expanding cooperation in energy, nuclear, and trade sectors.
Senior Iranian officials announced an expansion of strategic cooperation between Iran and Russia during the 19th Iran–Russia Joint Economic Commission, highlighting major developments in energy, trade, and infrastructure.
Ali-Mohammad Mousavi, Iran’s Deputy Oil Minister for International Affairs and Commerce, described the three-day meeting as an opportunity to transform previous memorandums of understanding into operational projects and tangible results. He stated that more than 75 percent of the 193 clauses approved during the 18th commission have already entered the implementation phase.
Mousavi also announced the launch of a monitoring system designed to track the execution of agreements. In addition to the main commission document—comprising around 190 clauses—six separate cooperation agreements in areas such as standards, health, and agriculture are expected to be signed.
Meanwhile, Mostafa Barzegar, Director General for Europe, the Americas, and CIS countries at Iran’s Oil Ministry, said Russian companies have invested in seven Iranian oil fields. He noted that approximately 6 percent of Iran’s oil production is currently carried out by Russian firms, with plans to increase that share to 12 percent.
Barzegar further announced the signing of a $25 billion memorandum of understanding for the construction of new small-scale nuclear power plants. He added that the first phase of cooperation includes annual imports of 55 billion cubic meters of natural gas from Russia, while electricity imports via Azerbaijan are also under consideration.
Officials stated that bilateral trade currently stands at approximately $5 billion, with a target of increasing it to $20 billion annually. The completion of the International North–South Transport Corridor and the Rasht–Astara railway were emphasized as key infrastructure projects aimed at boosting economic and transit exchanges between Iran, Russia, and regional countries.
The 19th Joint Commission includes meetings of 16 specialized working groups, and a final memorandum of understanding, along with several side agreements, is expected to be signed at the conclusion of the talks.