Russian energy minister due in Tehran today

Moscow, Dec 12, IRNA - Russia’s Energy Minister Alexander Novak is slated to attend the 13th Iran-Russia joint economic commission to be held in the Iranian capital on Tuesday, it was reported on Monday. Novak, heading a 590-member economic delegation, is to fly to Iran on Monday (Dec 12). The visit will be a major step towards implementation of the decision made by the presidents of the two countries to expand bilateral ties. The 13th Iran-Russia joint economic commission is to be held in the Iranian capital on Dec 13. Iran's Minister of Communications and Information Technology Mahmoud Vaezi and the visiting Russian minister are to co-chair the Tehran economic commission meeting, an unprecedented measure towards fostering the two countries' relations. The Russian delegation is scheduled to ink several agreements and hold bilateral meetings with the Iranian officials. Simultaneous with the joint economic commission in Tehran, Iran-Russia energy commission will be held for the first time to review the ways to broaden bilateral cooperation in that area. Iran's ambassador to Moscow says Tehran-Moscow cooperation is witnessing a bright future. Iran and Russia have planned for a yearly four-billion-dollar of economic relations by the end of 2017. According to the latest statistics, the worth of the two countries' economic exchanges grew by 80 percent in the first half of 2016 compared with the same period last year. 1378/IRNA