Aljazeera:

Iran will sign a $4bn energy agreement with Russian companies, Iranian Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad has announced, as the two nations seek to bolster ties while trying to cope with punishing Western economic sanctions.

Speaking on state TV earlier on Friday, Paknejad said the deal aims to develop seven Iranian oilfields in cooperation with Russian firms.

From military cooperation to energy, banking and agriculture, Tehran and Moscow have been engaged in deeper ties since the start of the military conflict in Ukraine, signing a strategic partnership treaty in January.

Friday’s deal is seen as another step in their bid to remove barriers in all spheres of their cooperation.

The deal also comes as Iran seeks to build momentum for nuclear negotiations with the United States that resume in Oman on Saturday, following consultations with its allies in Moscow and Beijing earlier this week.

Go to link