Crossed by many points in common, the two States will put down on paper the fruit of “friendly ties”.
Russia and Iran will sign on Friday a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement” during a visit by Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian to Russia, the Kremlin announced on Monday, a new illustration of the alliance between the two countries. “On January 17, Vladimir Putin will meet with the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Massoud Pezeshkian,” who will arrive in Russia for an official visit, the Russian presidency said in a statement. The two presidents “will sign the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement between Russia and Iran and make statements to the media,” she added.
Both Russia and Iran are subject to international sanctions that restrict their tradebut they have established close ties in various sectors, notably military. This agreement covers “economic and commercial cooperation in the fields of energy, environment and issues related to defense and security,” the Iranian embassy in Russia said on Telegram last week. Its exact contours are still unclear, but Moscow concluded a treaty of exactly the same name with North Korea last year.
Russia and Iran are getting closer militarily
This “treaty on the global strategic partnership”, ratified by Russian deputies last October, provides in particular in one of its articles “a immediate military aid” in the event of armed aggression from third countries. Westerners saw the risk of a major escalation in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which began almost three years ago. North Korea is accused by kyiv and the West of having sent soldiers to fight with the Russian army against Ukrainian forces. Moscow and Pyongyang have neither confirmed nor denied.
Tehran is also accused by the West to supply Shahed explosive drones and short-range missiles to Russia, thereby helping the Russian army in Ukraine. Accusations rejected by Iran. The last meeting between MM. Pezeshkian and Putin date back to October at the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia. The Russian president had at the time mentioned an upcoming visit by his Iranian counterpart to sign this partnership agreement, according to the Kremlin. The Iranian press agency Tasnim indicated at the end of December that this trip would take place on January 17. Vladimir Putin also praised the “friendly” ties between Tehran and Moscow in October, calling for consolidate the “positive dynamic” regarding their economic cooperation.
Russia wishes in particular to develop a project of logistics corridor (rail and maritime) between Moscow, Baku and Tehran, on a north-south axis. Iran and Russia also have in common that they are allies of the ousted Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, overthrown on December 8 by an offensive by a coalition of rebels dominated by Islamists.
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