Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Oct. 19 that Moscow would pursue its economic and investment agreements with Iran while Russian contractors continued surveys for a planned rail link, despite regional fighting.
Bilateral trade rose 21% in 2025 and more than 10% in the first eight months of 2026, Lavrov said. He cited a free trade agreement between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union, in effect since May 2025, as a factor supporting commerce.
Speaking after talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Tehran, Lavrov said Russian contractors were conducting engineering surveys for the planned Rasht-Astara railway. He also identified hydrocarbon production and transport as areas for further cooperation.
Russian specialists are gradually returning to Iran’s Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, Lavrov said. The countries’ comprehensive strategic partnership treaty took effect Oct. 2, 2025, according to Russia’s Foreign Ministry.
At the same news conference, Lavrov offered Moscow’s help in seeking a negotiated end to the Iran war.
