President Ahmadinejad made the remarks here in a meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

“There are ill-wishers [though] who oppose the expansion of ties and cooperation between Iran and Russia…Cooperation between the two countries can ensure the establishment of peace and security for their people and other regional nations,” he stated.

He urged Tehran and Moscow to make use of their great capabilities to bolster mutual relations regarding the ongoing regional and international circumstances.

Dr.Ahmadinejad noted that the outlook of Tehran’s ties with Moscow has been based on sustainable relations, emphasizing that “the Islamic Republic places no restrictions in the expansion of its ties with Russia.”

President referred to the long-standing relations between the two friendly countries of Iran and Russia, underlining that they will still grow due to the current international and regional situations.

He added Tehran and Moscow are in the same front and would witness the sustainable cooperation in future.

President added the prospect of bilateral relations between the two countries is so bright.

The President then felicitated President Putin on his re-election as the Russian president.

President Putin too termed Iran as Russia’s old neighbor adding the two countries have been enjoying good historical cooperation.

Talking about Iran’s peaceful nuclear program, Putin said: “Russia has always supported the progress and rights of the Iranian nation in all international circles, and regards the use of peaceful nuclear energy as an absolute right of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Like Tehran, which opposes the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and atomic weapons, Russia has also founded its acts on such a basis, he added.

The Russian president noted that Moscow has been in ‘close contact’ with Tehran over all international issues, including Iran's nuclear energy issue.

Putin also stressed the importance of improving bilateral cooperation in various economic fields.

The meeting was held in the Chinese capital and on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit meeting underway here.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed his country’s support for Iran's nuclear energy program, saying the Islamic Republic has an “absolute” right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.