SAMARKAND, September 15. /TASS/. Moscow and Tehran are wrapping up work on an agreement that is set to elevate their relations to a strategic partnership, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi on the sidelines of the SCO summit on Thursday.

"Work on a new big agreement between Russia and Iran, which will mark the elevation of relations to the level of strategic partnership, is in its final phase," he said.

Putin also highlighted the growth of trade between the two countries. It increased by 81% last year, and by another 30% in the first five months of this year.

"The intergovernmental commission is busy at work," the Russian president said.