BISHKEK (Ruptly) — Iranian President Hassan Rouhani praised cooperation between Tehran and Moscow despite “serious external pressure”, speaking with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of SCO summit in Bishkek on Friday.

“In the current conditions, with serious external pressure and external sanctions imposed, the need for interaction between countries in the region, in particular, between our countries, becomes more urgent every day”, said Rouhani. “We have very good experience regarding the fight against terrorism”, he added.

Vladimir Putin also said that “relations between Russia and Iran are multifaceted. They cover issues of economy, stability in the region, our joint efforts in fighting terrorism, including in Syria. We have done a lot in this regard, thanks to, among other things, the active position of Iran. Undoubtedly it is our mutual success — Iran, Turkey, Russia.”