Iran is one of the Middle Eastern countries hardest hit by the outbreak and Russia has seen a recent surge in infections.
President Hassan Rouhani told Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday that the two countries should increase their cooperation in the fight against the new Coronavirus outbreak and continue to trade with each other.
“Officials from the two countries must make efforts for trade exchanges to take place between them while observing health protocols,” Rouhani said, according to the official website’s account of a phone call between the two presidents.
Rouhani, trying to revive an economy reeling under tough U.S. sanctions, also pointed to what he called provocative actions by the United States and Israel in the region, and said that Iran and Russia should increase their cooperation to address regional problems.
Iran and Russia have both been fighting in the Syrian conflict in.
