Update: Iran says "broadly" cooperating with Russia on regional issues

Iran and Russia are broadly cooperating on regional issues and fighting terrorism and extremism, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Friday.

Iran and Russia have common stances on regional issues, and both countries have made substantive progress in mutual ties and international cooperation, official IRNA news agency quoted Zarif as saying before a meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Moscow.

For his part, Lavrov said that indiscriminate fight against terrorists in Syria is on the agenda of Friday talks between Iran and Russia, according to the report.

Zarif arrived in Moscow on Friday to attend a trilateral meeting with his Russian counterpart and Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem on the latest regional developments, including the conflict in Syria.

Upon arrival at Moscow airport, Zarif called for reaching a political solution to the Syrian crisis besides fighting the extremists in the country.

"Unfortunately, some countries have sought military solutions to Syria crisis, while the way to settle this problem is political approaches," Zarif said.

"We have always insisted on comprehensive ceasefire, availability of humanitarian aid (to the besieged people) and finding political solutions to the Syrian issue," he was quoted as saying.

Iran has urged Russia to strengthen strategic cooperation on regional and international issues, especially the ongoing crisis in Syria. Endit