Iran applauds its ‘very close’ relationship with Russia

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Monday hailed the “very close” relationship his government has formed with Russia and touted a burgeoning alliance that Western powers regard as the nucleus of a growing threat in the Middle East.

“I’m glad that our relations are developing every year,” Rouhani said while hosting the speaker of Russia’s lower house of parliament in Tehran. “Relations between our governments are very close.”