Tehran expects the Russian President Vladimir Putin will pay a return visit to Iran, Iranian Ambassador to Moscow Kazem Jalali said in an interview for Sputnik.

"We are ready to receive ... Putin in Tehran at an appropriate time. We are also interested in holding a summit of the Astana format countries' leaders in Tehran," Jalali said.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi arrived in Moscow for a two-day visit on January 19, which marked a turning point in relations between the two countries, the diplomat added.

Iranian, Russian firms may set up joint plant to make energy sector equipment

Iranian and Russian companies may team up to establish a joint plant for the production of equipment for the oil and gas sector and further export it, Jalali said in his interview for Sputnik.

"We can use the potential and capabilities of Russian companies in [oil] production, development of oil fields, equipment manufacturing and technology transfer. In addition, by establishing a joint plant in Iran and producing equipment in excess of the equipment used in Iran, companies of the two countries can export it," Jalali said.

In a related context, in an interview for RIA Novosti, the Iranian Ambassador to Moscow Kazem Jalali described military cooperation as a component of Iran-Russia relations.

According to him, relations between Moscow and Tehran span all aspects of politics and economics, as well as others.

“Military and defense cooperation, which is also part of the relationship, is not limited only to the purchase of relevant equipment,” the envoy specified.

His words came amid news that Russia's Deputy Prime Minister and director of the Iran-Russia Joint Economic Commission, Alexander Novak, would be visiting Tehran soon.

Read next: Iran-Russia summit promises strategic cooperation

Earlier, representatives from more than 350 Iranian and Russian enterprises attended the Iran-Russia Trade Conference, which was held at the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Moscow.

At the conference, Iranian Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali, Head of Iran's Trade Promotion Organization (TPOI) Alireza Peyman-Pak, and President of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sergey Katyrin spoke about the potential for economic and trade cooperation between Iran and Russia, particularly in light of the current situation.

Read next: Raisi-Putin summit: will it draw up a new balance of power?

A few months earlier, the Russia-Iran mutual trade turnover was able to reach an unprecedented $4,035 billion, according to the Russian Federal Customs Service (FCS), increasing by 81.7% in 2021.

“The trade turnover between Russia and Iran amounted in 2021 to $4,035 billion, thus, having increased by 81.7% in annual terms,” the FCS said.

The Customs Service added that Iran’s share in Russia’s overall international trade increased from 0.4% to 0.5%. Russia’s exports to Iran surged in 2021 by 2.2 times, rising to $3,068 billion, while imports from Iran to Russia increased by 21.4%, rising to $976.3 million.