TEHRAN: The Iranian parliament ratified a 20-year strategic partnership treaty with Russia on Wednesday, state media reported.

The treaty, which was signed by Presidents Masoud Pezeshkian and Vladimir Putin in January, provides for joint efforts to counter common security threats but stops short of a mutual defence agreement.

While the deal was already ratified by Russia`s State Duma, it passed the Iranian parliament with 191 votes in favour, eight against and three abstentions among the 212 members present, Iran`s official IRNA news agency reported.

The ratification comes after Iran held four rounds of talks with the US in search of a new deal to ally Western concerns about its nuclear programme.

Mediator Oman announced the fifth round of talks between Iran and the US is set to take place in Rome on May 23. `The 5th round of Iran-US talks will take place in Rome this Friday 23rd May,` Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said.-AFP