The Central Banks of Iran (CBI) and Russia agreed to expand banking and monetary cooperation, CBI governor said on Friday.
Ali Salehabadi made the remarks following a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Alexander Novak and Russian central bank chief Elvira Nabiullina, stating that the two sides discussed a variety of issues, including the expansion of monetary and banking cooperation, as well as strategies to remove obstacles and increase joint investments between Tehran and Moscow.
For his part, the Russian deputy prime minister stated that the development of Tehran-Moscow economic and investment ties is a priority and necessity, and that Russia is fully prepared to follow up on the relationship's expansion.
Earlier in May Russia’s Novak and Iranian Petroleum Minister Javad Owji signed three major memoranda of understanding (MoU) to expand energy and banking ties.
The two officials serve as co-chairs of the Iran-Russia economic and trade cooperation commission.
The official IRNA agency quoted Owji as saying that Iran and Russia had agreed to use national currencies for settlement of trade and energy payments.
Novak also told Russia’s official Tass news agency that Moscow and Tehran had agreed to “move to the highest possible level of mutual settlements in national currencies”.