Iran’s Ambassador to Russia Mehdi Sanaei said on Thursday that Tehran is interested in creating a free trade zone with the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU).

"Iran is interested in the introduction of a free trade regime with the EEU and considers that the establishment of closer ties with the Union may become the basis for the development of economic cooperation of Iran with the Union’s member countries," Sanaei told the Gaidar Forum in Moscow as reported by Sputnik news agency.

The EEU chairman said last December that the union considered Iran a key potential partner and voiced interest in creation of a free trade zone with the country. Also, Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov announced again last December that talks on the creation of a free trade zone with Iran could be completed in the near future.

Sanaei added that Iran was particularly interested in economic projects of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states, the EEU and the Chinese Silk Road.

The EEU is a bloc created to streamline the flow of goods, capital and labor between its member nations, namely Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan. The union came into being on January 1, 2015.

In April 2015, Russia invited Iran to join the Union and reports said at the time that expert talks over Iran’s membership to the Union have already started.

Iran announced a measure last December that it said could bring it closer to free trade with a key Russian-led economic union.

Officials in Tehran said “a temporary agreement” has been signed with the EEU – that comprises Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia – to reduce trade tariffs between Iran and the Union’s member states.

The agreement was signed by Iran’s Minister of Industry, Mines and Trade Mohammad-Reza Nematzadeh and EEU’s Trade Minister Andrei Slepnev.