TEHRAN (IRNA) — Vice Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation, Alexey Volin, who is in Tehran at the head of a delegation of Russian media, called the visit’s goal the expansion of cooperation between the Iranian and Russian media.

Alexey Volin at Tehran

(Credit: IRNA)

Figures from Russia and Iran held their first round of talks on media cooperation in Tehran on Wednesday. The Russian side was headed by Deputy Minister for Digital Development and Communications Alexey Volin. The Iranian side was also represented by Deputy Culture Minister Mohammad Soltanifar and Culture Ministry director for foreign media Alireza Shiravi.

Soltanifar said media cooperation between the two countries is not as robust as political cooperation: “We are hopeful that through bilateral efforts, we will boost such cooperation.”

Volin, for his part, reported that some 20 topics for boosting media cooperation between Iran and Russia have been mapped out and the sides are refining the platform on which to conduct the cooperation. He said the topics include exchanging news, sharing technical expertise, and raising the professional level of reporters.

Volin added that representatives from Sputniknews and Itar-TASS were present in the meeting and were planning to work with respective partners. Also, he noted, representatives of two Russian media outlets are planning to open a permanent cooperation office in Iran. The two countries also agreed to improve sharing of news and know-how in the field of visual media, the Russian official added.

Concerning the summit of the leaders of Russia and the US to be held July 16 in Helsinki, Volin assured: “Russia regards Iran as a friendly neighbour country and does not trade Iran’s interests in negotiations with the US.” Asked whether Russia will trade Iran’s interests in the upcoming talks with the US President, Volin said: “We do not bargain with strangers; Iran is our friend and we will never sell our friends, because no one can be friends with the one who sells his friends.”