Russian Ambassador to Tehran Aleksey Dedov: implementation of FTA between EAEU and Iran to begin in near future

Aleksey Dedov is Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Islamic Republic of Iran. He graduated from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations in 1982 and has been in the diplomatic service since then. He has worked in various positions in the central apparatus of the Russian Foreign Ministry and abroad.

How do you assess the current state of bilateral trade between Russia and Iran? What prospects exist in the next few years, given that the countries have almost completely switched to settlements in national currencies?

Trade between Russia and Iran is generally demonstrating positive dynamics, but it is too early to speak of its full potential. Russian-Iranian trade turnover is expected to grow by about 15 per cent in 2024 compared to 2023 (when it was US$4.2 billion). We expect that a new impetus to these processes will be given by the meeting of the Permanent Russian-Iranian Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation scheduled for the coming months, which will be held in Russia this time. We expect further growth in trade turnover at the end of this year.

The creation of a joint independent payment infrastructure and the transition to bilateral settlements in national currencies is stipulated in Article 20 of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty between the Russian Federation and the Islamic Republic of Iran of 17 January 2025. The countries have already almost completely switched to mutual settlements in national currencies using their own financial and banking messaging systems. Russia has begun accepting cards from the Iranian Shetab payment system. The launch of Mir cards in Iran is expected in the foreseeable future. All this will undoubtedly have a positive impact on trade and economic relations between our countries, simplify business operations and expand the spheres of business cooperation. 

In December 2024, Iran received observer status in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), and a free trade agreement is expected to come into force soon. How do you think this agreement will facilitate Iran's trade relations with the union countries?

The free trade agreement between the EAEU and Iran was approved by Iran's Supervisory Council on 2 March 2025. Thanks to this, we can talk about the start of its implementation in the very near future. The Eurasian Economic Union today is a market of 190 million people with a preferential regime for Iran for importing goods, simplified customs procedures and simple technical regulation. The same goes for the Iranian market for exporters from EAEU countries. This is an absolutely mutually beneficial story that meets the interests of the population.

How can the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty signed by the presidents of Russia and Iran affect the cooperation between the countries in the spheres of culture, science, and education?

Article 34 of the treaty provides for the further development of relations in the field of culture and art, as well as the creation of favourable conditions for the activities of the Russian Cultural Centre in Tehran in accordance with the Agreement on the Establishment and Conditions for the Activities of Cultural Centres of 13 April 2021. This is the legal foundation of the whole range of cultural cooperation between the countries. The Rossotrudnichestvo office is actively working to find a suitable premisef for the centre. The key event of the current year should be the large-scale Days of Russian Culture in Iran. The events are scheduled for June.

It is important that the document notes the parties' focus on the development of long-term and constructive ties in the sphere of higher education, science and technology. Partnership relations have been established between educational organisations of our countries, joint scientific, technical and research projects are implemented, specialised seminars, conferences and exhibitions are held.

Thus, the agreement, on the one hand, confirms the current high status of relations, on the other hand, sets the dynamics for further fruitful cooperation in cultural, scientific and educational spheres.

According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the construction of the second and third power units of the Bushehr NPP is one of the priority areas in Moscow-Tehran relations. Are there plans to implement other joint projects, including in the energy sector?

Indeed, projects in the field of peaceful nuclear energy, including the construction of the second and third units of the Bushehr NPP, are at the stage of implementation. There is cooperation on medical isotopes, and in this way our country supports Iranian friends in the development of high-tech medicine, providing access to advanced methods of diagnostics and treatment of various diseases. This raises the level of treatment of patients.

I would like to mention the Strategic Memorandum signed in June 2024 between Russian and Iranian gas companies on working out the organisation of pipeline supplies of Russian natural gas to Iran. Active work is now underway towards its implementation. Russia is also represented in projects to develop Iranian oil fields.

Among the initiatives in other spheres are the North-South international transport corridor and the construction of the Rasht-Astara railway section as part of its western branch.

In 2023, the authorities of Russia and Iran launched visa-free group tourist exchange between the states. Are there plans to extend visa-free regime to other categories of travellers?

At the moment there are regulations on visa-free travel for tourist groups of 5 to 50 people. Detailed plans to expand the categories are not being worked out yet. In total, the mutual tourist flow increased by 13 per cent in 2024. There was a noticeable increase in the number of Iranian tourists in Russia (58 thousand, plus 47 per cent in relation to the same indicators of 2023). At the same time, 5 thousand Russian tourists visited Iran. Almost 30 thousand Iranians entered our country within the framework of visa-free travel mechanism, and the number of Russian tourists in the opposite direction was 500 people. The format of electronic visas is also open for Iranians, through which more than 15 thousand people visited Russia last year.

How do you assess the role of BRICS in strengthening Russian-Iranian relations?

BRICS is an important international platform for cooperation with Iranian partners. The values of this structure, namely respect for international law, state sovereignty and each other's interests, recognition of each state's inalienable right to choose its own path of development, as well as solidarity and mutual assistance, are fully shared by both Moscow and Tehran.

Our Iranian friends have repeatedly expressed their interest in cooperation in innovative and knowledge-intensive sectors of the economy and their readiness to share their expertise in certain areas. We fully support them.

Photo: Iran Press