TEHRAN: Iran is ready to sign a strategic partnership with Russia, mirroring one concluded early this year with China, the foreign ministry said Monday. "The initial arrangements of this document, entitled the Global Agreement for Cooperation between Iran and Russia, have been concluded," said ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh.

"We are in the process of finalising diverse clauses of the document and we will send it to Moscow," he told reporters. "In recent years, it has become necessary to improve relations between Iran and Russia and to concentrate on strategic partnerships," he added.

"Between Iran, China and Russia, the eastern axis is emerging."

He added that Tehran hopes the document will be signed in the coming months. Iran in March concluded a 25-year strategic and commercial cooperation agreement with China after several years of talks.