TEHRAN, Dec. 26 (Mehr News Agency) - Russia is planning to sign new agreements with Iran to boost the two-way trade in 2009, Russian Economy Ministry Trade Negotiations Department Director Maxim Medvedkov stated on Thursday.

He added that the related documents are ready to be finalized.

He noted that Russia seeks signing similar agreements with Turkmenistan and Namibia as well, IRINN reported.

In 2008, such agreements were signed with Eurasian states, Libya, and Venezuela, he added.

Iran and the Russian Federation signed six protocols on trade and economic cooperation in their fifth joint economic workgroup session on October 25, IRNA reported.

The protocols run the gamut of holding exhibitions as well as transportation, banking, investment, and joint venture fields.

They also came to terms on setting up a joint company to launch an Iranian car assembly line in Astrakhan.

The sixth session of Iran-Russia joint economic working group will be held in the second half of 2009 in Tehran.

Tehran-Ashgabat trade close to $2.5b in 10 months

According to IRNA, the report released by the press department of the ministry has stipulated that Tehran-Ashgabat trade has been increasing based on mutual interests.

Iran-Turkmenistan bilateral relations are founded on the bedrock of peace and friendship, the report added.

The official trips of Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to each others' country in 2008 played a great role in the promotion of relations between the two states.

The two neighboring countries have implemented several joint ventures like the Doosti (friendship) Dam, the Korpedzhe-Kord Kuy Gas Pipeline, and the Tajan-Sarakhs-Mashhad railway line.