(VOVworld) - Iranian Minister of Communications Mahmoud Vaezi said on Tuesday that Iran and Russia will sign a joint monetary agreement to facilitate trade transactions.

Minister of communications and information technology Mahmoud Vaezi (Photo: irna.ir)

Following a meeting with the visiting Russian Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov, Vaezi said the agreement will facilitate exchange of Iran’s rials and Russia’s roubles and pave the way for closer economic relations.

He said Russia will take steps to decrease its customs tariffs in line with Iran's interests.

The same day, the website of the Iranian National Television Channel quoted Behrouz Kamalvandi, a spokesperson for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, as saying that Russia will begin the construction of two nuclear reactors in Rian next week. The works are part of the Busher Energy Plant built by Russia a year ago.