Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has underlined Russia’s role in safeguarding the Iran nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

“Russia plays a significant and instrumental role in reinforcing and safeguarding the JCPOA and [ensuring] the implementation of the deal by all sides,” Rouhani said during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Tehran on Wednesday.

He highlighted the JCPOA as a multilateral agreement, saying protecting the deal would contribute to peace and stability in the region and across the world.

Touching on the issue of terrorism, Rouhani said cooperation between Tehran and Moscow has made a considerable contribution to the anti-terror campaign in the region, and underlined the need for keeping consultations and cooperation in the final stages of battling terrorism.

Rouhani said that cooperation between Tehran and Moscow was key to settling tensions, including the crisis in Syria.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran deems instability to be detrimental to all countries, and supports promotion of stability and security in the region.

Cooperation between Iran and Russia has been proven to consolidate peace and security in Syria, he said.

Describing Russia “as a strategic partner, friend and neighbor,” Rouhani also called for further expansion of economic and trade ties with Moscow, adding that Tehran welcomed investment of Russia’s private sectors in projects aimed at developing Iran’s infrastructure, including in the energy, industries and transportation sectors.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (R) and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin shake hands in Tehran on November 1, 2017.

Putin, for his part, said Iran and Russia maintained good cooperation in the fields of energy, economy, peaceful nuclear energy and transportation.

The Russian president said that Russian companies were keen to join development projects and that Moscow saw no limit to the expansion of relations with Tehran.

He also described the JCPOA as a good agreement that helps global peace and stability, and described "some countries'" refusal to remain committed to the terms of the nuclear agreement as "unacceptable".

"Unilateral dismantling of the JCPOA under any pretext is not acceptable," Putin added.

The Russian president also said that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was the only body entrusted with verifying Iran’s commitment to the deal.

He also underlined the need for Iran, Russia and Turkey to continue cooperation on Syria within the framework of the Astana talks aimed at ending the crisis in the Arab country.