Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber on Tuesday urged Belarus to de-dollarize bilateral trade during a meeting with Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko in Minsk, Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported.

Mokhber pointed to the “declining clout of the global hegemonic system, especially the United States,” and the “fundamental changes occurring in the international equations,” emphasizing the need for Iran and Belarus to strengthen their solidarity.

He said the bilateral trade exchanges should be conducted in their national currencies, the Iranian rial and Belarusian ruble.

The Belarusian prime minister, for his part, expressed his country’s interest in expanding relations with Iran in all areas, including the transportation, oil, petrochemical, industrial and investment sectors.