Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf has hailed Russia's presidency over the BRICS group of emerging economies as a good opportunity to expand relations between Tehran and Moscow in various fields.

As campaigning for the June 28 vote intensifies, candidates are revealing their foreign policy plans, ranging from a strategic pivot to the East to increased global engagement.

Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, a former Iranian parliament speaker and one of the country’s leading political figures, is among the six candidates running for Iran’s presidency.

After the passing of Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi in a helicopter crash last month, all eyes are now on the upcoming snap presidential vote to be held on June 28.