Russia – Iran relations

Framework of international relations

Pipelines here and there

In the base text of my website:”Triangle game / Big Picture in 2019 / Overall evaluations” , I have said that

Political tectonics are now moving fast in the Middle East and North Africa. The oil industry sources state that Russia and China are quietly preparing the ground to relaunch the Iran-Iraq-Syria gas pipeline from Iran’s huge Persian Gulf South Pars gas field it shares with Qatar. A US-backed proxy war began against Syria’s Bashar al-Assad in 2011 just after he signed a deal with Iran and Iraq to build the pipeline, rejecting an earlier Qatar proposal for an alternative route. Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar poured billions of covert funds to finance different militia groups such in a vain effort to topple Assad.

Beijing is looking at its prospects, along with Russia to replace the domination of Iraqi politics that Washington has held since its 2003 war. In October 2019, Iraq started exporting crude oil to China as part of the 20-year oil-for-infrastructure deal agreed between the two countries. This Iraq-China oil deal has caused a deteriorating dispute between Iraq and the US. New cooperative constellations are emerging around two leading opponents Iran – Saudi Arabia, where China has been performing as a mediator.

Now that the situation in Syria has turned upside down and president Assad fallen down, the stage is set for a major war with Iran. It is worth to recall some events in 2001.

Ten days after the attacks of 11 September 2001, former US Army General Wesley Clark revealed a controversial military strategy. Clark told of a secret plan to “eliminate seven countries in five years.” This 2007 revelation raised many questions about the real motivations of the “War on Terror” and the garbage narrative fed to the world via mainstream media. Clark reported that the plan was to invade Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and, finally, Iran. The surprisingly extensive list raised questions about US intentions and global strategy after the 9/11 attacks. Clark’s statement emphasized how the “War on Terror” had been executed ineffectively and for political reasons rather than a real need for national security.

The list of target countries was aimed at consolidating US political and military influence in strategically important regions rather than eliminating concrete threats. Twenty years after the 9/11 attacks, Clark’s words still resonate as a warning.

Remembering these events is crucial to understanding today’s geopolitical dynamics and the consequences of the decisions made then. The war in Iraq, which began in 2003, was only the first step in a series of military interventions, which have had significant repercussions throughout the Middle East and beyond.

Syria’s new “strong man” Jolani, according to western media, is the face of freedom. Al-Jolani, who fought against the US in Iraq before joining Islamic State and Al-Qaeda and later founding the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda, earning a $10 million bounty on his head. As the head of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), he oversaw a regime of what the UN classified as “war crimes” in Idlib province. More info about this in my recent update “Multifaceted trends in the Middle East” of January 1, 2025.

The operation to divide Syria up will now commence. Erdogan may have struck a deal and will get a chunk of the north and Israel will move forward with the greater Israel project. The US and therefore NATO will be brought to the fore in order to fight these wars together with Israel. Erdogan has been in power since March 2003, which is a long time. He’s repeatedly made reference to his vision of restoring Turkey’s influence over former Ottoman territories.

It is also worth to recall a CIA-led coup attempt in 2016, where Erdogan found himself in a dangerous situation. He was trapped in his resort in Marmaris, after narrowly escaping assassination. It was reportedly Russian intelligence that saved his skin, notifying him of the incoming threat. Since that event, Russian-Turkish relations have been a lot more positive. So, a couple things happened there. Erdogan become vehemently anti-Israel and the coup was a strong message from the West that opposition to Israel would not be tolerated. Secondly, he now owed his life to Russia.

Since then, Erdogan has been walking a tightrope: Russia – America – Israel – undermining the Assad administration in Syria – Iran. This also goes against both Russian and Chinese interests, both of whom have been supporters of Assad. The game has been very complicated … when traveling around Turkey, you can see that all the major developments are financed by Chinese banks and much of the infrastructure development is in partnership with or exclusively Russian.

Today, there is another ruler walking a tightrope in the Middle East, namely Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) of Saudi Arabia. As known, Saudi Arabia was accepted as a member of BRICS in 2023 but later refused to join and decided to “be on hold”. It is quite clear that Biden’s administration has pressed hardly MBS that formalizing BRICS as an economic alliance will not be tolerated and, if they are to have a multipolar world, then they will be forced to form also a military alliance, which means WW3.

So, what we’re likely now to see is the Qatar-Turkey pipeline being pushed ahead, which may not be easy. On the other hand, it looks more likely that Syria becomes the next Afghanistan. Getting any infrastructure built with dozens of factions of warring tribes will prove costly and ultimately won’t happen — at least not within the next five years or so.

Plenty of treaties

The relations between China and Russia are based dozens of treaties, which have been analyzed in details on my website, different dimensions of China – Russia cooperation: Alliances / present alliance.

Russia has recently entered in cooperative agreements with North Korea and Belarus; China has made tens of cooperative agreements with numerous prominent countries like Iran, India and Pakistan.

The Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty between Moscow and Tehran is different from Russia’s treaties with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and Belarus, which include provisions on collective defense. According to Kazem Jalali, Iranian Ambassador to Moscow, the Russian-Iranian agreement includes a provision on mutual respect for the territorial integrity of the two countries.

Chinese Foreign Ministry announced that at the invitation of Iran’s First Vice-President Mohammad Reza Aref, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council Zhang Guoqing will visit Iran from December 3 to 4.

Moe info of those arrangements can be found in the article “Great Powers and Hot Spots” of September 2024.

Geopolitical “earthquakes”

Geopolitical “earthquakes” are rapidly occurring in the Middle East. The first repercussions of the October 7, 2023 “Hamas strike” were the IDF strikes on Hezbollah in Lebanon that resulted in the party’s military weakening for the first time since its inception in the 1980s. Another repercussion is the fall of the Assad regime after more than half a century of its rule in Syria. These earthquakes seem to have destroyed the dreams of the Iranian “empire” and the illusions of achieving it in the Arab countries.

The link between the “earthquake” in Gaza and the “earthquake” in Lebanon is clear and direct. If it weren’t for the support war that Hezbollah launched on October 8, 2023 in support of Gaza, Israel would not have launched a war on the party at this time, eliminating most of its leaders, including its “legendary” Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, destroying a large part of its military arsenal (70% according to Western reports), and displacing its supporters from its villages and towns in the south and completely destroying them. This war and the blow it received from Israel since last September until today are one of the main reasons for Assad’s downfall.

The current US administration is paralyzed while waiting for the handover of power to the Donald Trump administration. The weakness of the European Union in the region, which was proven by the Gaza war and the war on Hezbollah, is acute. This is in addition to its preoccupation with the war in Ukraine, which poses a threat to Europe’s security.

The fall of the Assad regime will have major geopolitical repercussions in the region that will be revealed gradually. The first of these repercussions is on Iran and its influence in the region, a general Iranian downfall.

US – Iran relations

According to some IR-analysts, like British Alastair Crooke, “The original Obama strategic blueprint for containing and balancing the potentially violent energies of Middle East was subsequently handed to Team Biden at the end of the Obama term and was valid until its collapse after 7 Oct 2023.” Prime minister Netanyahu deliberately smashed its mechanics, he destroyed the prevailing status quo, which he saw as an American straitjacket preventing the attainment of a Greater Israel reaching out to its “Grand Victory”.

The cornerstone to the “Obama balanced region” was contained in a secret letter sent to Iran’s Supreme Leader in 2014, in which, Obama proposed to Khamenei joint efforts in Iraq and Syria against the Islamic State (ISIS). This joint action however, was made contingent on Iran reaching a nuclear deal with the US.

The letter explicitly acknowledged Iran’s “equities” in Syria: To assuage Iran’s concerns about the future of its close ally, President al-Assad, the letter stated that the US’s military operations inside Syria were not targeted at President Assad or his security forces, including Hezbollah who were joined with Iran in fighting ISIS in Syria.

Obama’s balance of powers initiative was an attempt indirectly to bind Iran and its allies to Obama’s Palestinian State concept, by escalating pressure on Israel to concede a Two-State solution. Without intense pressure on Israel, it was clear to Obama that a Palestinian State was a dead letter. Netanyahu disliked and distrusted Obama – as much as Obama distrusted him.

In the wake of 7 October 2023, Netanyahu determined to break the straitjacket restraints and he did. It’s not sure however, whether Obama’s highly elaborated structure would ever have worked. In any case, Netanyahu – by openly defying the White House – decided to override the Obama-Biden restraints and to smash the entire Iranian-centred project of Obama. The logic of the Israeli serial destruction in the region suggests to Netanyahu, that Iran now is “staggeringly vulnerable”, because of the loss of Syria – the central node to the Axis of Resistance.

Iran’s recent nuclear advances give President-elect Trump a crucial decision to make in his first months in office: to neutralize the Iranian nuclear threat through negotiations and escalating pressures; or order a military strike. Several Trump advisers privately concede Iran’s program is now so far along that this early strategy might no longer be effective. That makes a military option a real possibility.

Essentially, Iran has now two options: Firstly, to signal to the US its readiness to enter into some sort of a new nuclear deal with the Trump team and then to wait on a subsequent successful Trump–Putin meeting to re-set the global post-war security architecture. Based on that global deal, Tehran might hope to negotiate its own separate accord with the US.

The alternative option for Iran is containing higher risk. Iran has the option through exposing the improbability of victory (of Israeli strikes) and demonstrating the unacceptable cost of such conflict, to dismantle Israel’s illusory narrative of perpetual victory.

The just-inked treaty of Russia-Iran may expose some new features in this respect as the data and info regarding the massive military material Iran has and is producing.

The world must return to a policy of “maximum pressure” against Iran to turn it into a more democratic country, US President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg told an Iranian opposition event in Paris on January 11. Trump has vowed to return to the policy he pursued in his previous term that sought to wreck Iran’s economy to force the country to negotiate a deal on its nuclear program, ballistic missile program and regional activities. He said there was an opportunity “to change Iran for the better” but that this opportunity would not last forever.  Kellogg, like many, seems to underestimate what Iran can do.

We don’t know yet what policies with regards to Iran the incoming Trump administration will really pursue. It is obvious that Israel’s Netanyahu wants the US to launch a war against Iran. Trump is fully aware of that. The Islamic Republic has been under sanctions since its very inception. They have hindered its growth but have never made it concede to whatever the US demanded.

Iran is also a part of BRICS and has well developed economic relations with China and Russia. Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian will be in Moscow where he will sign a new comprehensive partnership pact with Russia which is said to also cover military aspects of the relation. It will help Iran to become even more sanctions proofed.

Russia – Iran Treaty, comprehensive strategic partnership – a game changer

Iran and Russia, as two close and strategic allies, have over the past years deepened their relations in various fields, despite being under heavy Western sanctions. In 2001, Tehran and Moscow signed a long-term cooperation deal, officially known as the Treaty of the Foundation of Mutual Relations and the Principles of Cooperation. It was initially set for 10 years but was extended up until 2026. Now, the two capitals are making final arrangements for the comprehensive partnership pact, which may determine their bilateral ties in all fields for the next 20 years.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin signed a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement for long-term cooperation during a ceremony following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow on January 17, 2025.

The Russian and Iranian presidents, Vladimir Putin and Masoud Pezeshkian have signed a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty. The document is expected to bring relations between Moscow and Tehran to a new level: it enshrines their status as strategic partners.

The agreement also establishes a legal framework for the further development of cooperation in the long term. According to Russian and Iranian officials, the agreement covers all spheres, including defense, counter-terrorism, energy, finance, transport, industry, agriculture, culture, science and engineering.

Russian Military To Help Iran Destroy Israel? Putin’s Message To Khamenei | Big Deal Inked In Moscow

Times Of India, January 17, 2025

Moscow, IRNA – The text of the comprehensive strategic joint agreement between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Russian Federation, which was signed by the presidents of the two countries and was published in the form of an introduction and 47 articles.

Speaking at a joint press conference following the signing event, Pezeshkian said the agreement will open a new chapter in relations between the two countries in all arenas, notably in the economic sector. Both Tehran and Moscow are determined to remove obstacles to customs tariffs, banking, investment guarantees, facilitation of meetings among traders and visa issues.

The Iranian president noted that the document includes increasing the level of exchanges by utilizing the capacities and capabilities within the Eurasian Economic Union. It also emphasized the importance of improving bilateral cooperation on issues such as the fight against extremism, terrorism and organized violence, he added.

Pezeshkian said Russia is an important country in the world, which has a privileged status in the Islamic Republic policy of neighborliness. He noted positive talks on regional and international cooperation, including the developments in the West Asia region, the Caucasus and peace and stability in Afghanistan.

Given the two countries’ membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the BRICS group of emerging economies, the development of mutual relations will have a leading impact on strengthening regional convergence and serving common interests, the Iranian president stated. Tehran welcomes the establishment of peace between Russia and Ukraine through negotiations.

He said he exchanged views with Putin on the Israeli regime’s military aggression against Lebanon and Syria. Both countries emphasize the need to establish a permanent ceasefire in Lebanon and put an end to Israel’s aggression against the Syrian territory. Iran and Russia hope that a final ceasefire will be established in Gaza to end the war in the Strip, Pezeshkian added.

The Russian president Putin said Tehran and Moscow have very close stance on the developments in West Asia and the Caucasus, which will be beneficial to all countries. Iran and Russia do not interfere in the internal affairs of the countries and stand against illegal sanctions against them.

The Russian president placed a premium on the expansion of trade ties with Iran and noted that in talks with Pezeshkian, the two sides discussed ways to increase trade exchanges. Putin expressed hope that a ceasefire in Gaza would lead to a “long-term stabilization” and called for efforts to secure a “comprehensive settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict”. He voiced his country’s support for the settlement of issues in Syria based on its territorial integrity.

The Russian-Iranian treaty on comprehensive strategic partnership, signed by the leaders of the two countries is a real breakthrough. “We are unanimous in our intention not to stop where we are now and to take relations to a qualitatively new level. This is the meaning of the signed interstate agreement on comprehensive strategic partnership,” Putin said. “It sets ambitious tasks and benchmarks for deeper bilateral cooperation in the long term in politics, security, trade, investment and humanitarian areas.”

Some comments on the treaty

Larry C. Johnson, who is a former CIA officer and intelligence analyst, and former planner and advisor at the US State Department’s Office of Counter Terrorism, is today an independent analyst and journalist. Johnson said that “the treaty Russia and Iran inked today will change the political dynamics in the Middle East and create potentially catastrophic risks for Israel and the United States, if either decides to launch a military attack on Iran”. He thinks this agreement explains why Russia was able to persuade Iran not to retaliate against Israel for its October 27 attack on Iranian territory. In short, this agreement confronts the United States and Israel with a new reality — i.e., any attack on Iran will bring Russia into the response.

The treaty consists of 47 Articles. Johnson focuses on six of the 47 articles (1, 3, 4, 5, 19, 23). I have added some other important points to the list below:

Article 1

The Contracting Parties shall seek to deepen and expand relations in all the fields of mutual interest, strengthen cooperation in the field of security and defence, closely coordinate activities at the regional and global levels, which is in line with a comprehensive, long-term and strategic partnership.

By publishing this treaty, Russia and Iran are sending the world a clear, unambiguous message that Russia and Iran are now strategic partners. Together, Russia and Iran represent a significant portion of the world’s oil production: Combined, Russia and Iran currently supply approximately 15% of the world’s oil market. However, it’s important to note that both countries face international sanctions that have affected their oil exports. Despite these challenges, they have managed to maintain significant market shares, particularly by redirecting exports to countries like China.

Article 2

The Contracting Parties shall implement a state policy based on mutual respect for national interests and security interests, the principles of multilateralism, peaceful settlement of disputes and rejection of unipolarity and hegemony in world affairs, as well as counter interference of third parties in the internal and external affairs of the Contracting Parties.

Article 3

The Contracting Parties shall strengthen their relations based on the principles of sovereign equality, territorial integrity, independence, non‑interference in the internal affairs of each other, the respect for sovereignty, cooperation and mutual trust.

2. The Contracting Parties shall take measures to mutually promote the abovementioned principles in various levels of relations bilaterally, regionally and globally and adhere to and advance policies consistent with these principles.

Both parties want to promote non-interference in the other’s internal affairs as well as multipolarism and oppose unilateralism, in the spirit of BRICS.

Article 3

3. In the event that either Contracting Party is subject to aggression, the other Contracting Party shall not provide any military or other assistance to the aggressor which would contribute to the continued aggression, and shall help to ensure that the differences that have arisen are settled on the basis of the United Nations Charter and other applicable rules of international law.

4. The Contracting Parties shall not permit the use of their territories in support of separatist movements and other actions that threaten the stability and territorial integrity of the other Contracting Party, as well as in support of hostile actions against each other.

So, what does this mean? The right to self-defense is recognized in Article 51 of the UN Charter, which allows countries to defend themselves if an armed attack occurs. This self-defense must be: In response to an actual armed attack; Immediate and necessary; Proportional to the threat. Thus, if Israel or the United States decide to attack Iranian nuclear facilities, Iran, with Russian support, will be fully entitled to a military response. Russia is sending Israel and the United States a clear warning.

Article 4

1. In order to enhance national security and confront common threats, the intelligence and security agencies of the Contracting Parties shall exchange information and experience and increase the level of their cooperation.

2. The intelligence and security agencies of the Contracting Parties shall cooperate within the framework of separate agreements.

This is particularly revealing because it admits that Russia and Iran have separate agreements governing cooperation between their respective intelligence and security agencies.

Article 5

1. In order to develop military cooperation between their relevant agencies, the Contracting Parties shall conduct the preparation and implementation of respective agreements within the Working Group on Military Cooperation.

2. The military cooperation between the Contracting Parties shall cover a wide range of issues, including the exchange of military and expert delegations, port calls by military ships and vessels of the Contracting Parties, training of military personnel, exchange of cadets and instructors, participation – upon the agreement between the Contracting Parties – in international defence exhibitions hosted by the Contracting Parties, conduct of joint sports competitions, cultural and other events, joint maritime relief and rescue operations as well as combating piracy and armed robbery at sea.

3. The Contracting Parties shall interact closely in holding joint military exercises in the territory of both Contracting Parties and beyond by mutual consent and taking into account the applicable generally recognized rules of international law.

4. The Contracting Parties shall consult and cooperate in countering common military and security threats of a bilateral and regional nature.

Article 5reveals that Russia and Iran have agreed to a comprehensive level of military cooperation that covers everything from training to military exercises to responding to attacks.

Article 6

1. Within the framework of a comprehensive, long-term and strategic partnership, the Contracting Parties shall confirm their commitment to develop military-technical cooperation based on respective agreements between them taking into account mutual interests and their international obligations and shall consider such cooperation as an important component in maintaining regional and global security.

2. In order to ensure proper coordination and further development of bilateral military-technical cooperation, the Contracting Parties shall hold sessions of the relevant working bodies on an annual basis.

This article confirms that Iran is now an important partner in the military-technical cooperation network, which Russia maintains with over 20 other important partners worldwide.

Article 19

The Contracting Parties shall counter the application of unilateral coercive measures, including those of an extraterritorial nature, and consider their imposition as an internationally wrongful and unfriendly act.

Article 19 (4 points) is a declaration of war on international sanctions. Russia and Iran are now committed to working together to counter Western sanctions.

Article 23

The Contracting Parties shall promote the development of long-term and mutually beneficial relations for the purpose of implementing joint projects in the area of peaceful use of nuclear energy, including the construction of nuclear energy facilities.

This is an astonishing agreement. Iran, unlike India, has not had a history of warm relations with Russia. At times, they were at odds. All of that is now history. Russia and Iran have embarked on a new level of cooperation that is likely to be the envy of the Gulf Arabs, who still find themselves at the mercy of the fickle, unpredictable United States.

Article 23 puts to rest the question of whether or not Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapon. It is not. Russia would not have entered into this type of treaty if Iran was going to build a nuke. Essentially, Russia is providing Iran with a nuclear umbrella. Russia is going to expand its support of Iran’s development of nuclear energy. In making this deal, Russia is warning the West that any attack on Iranian nuclear facilities will be an attack on Russia.

Professor Ruhollah Modabber, Iranian political scientist and the country’s leading Russia expert, told that the new treaty would not only boost cooperation between the two countries but would also allow them to better resist US sanctions. The document also contains provisions on respect for each other’s territorial integrity.

The treaty is designed to bring Russia-Iran relations to a new level, cementing their status as strategic partners. Russia and Iran are currently guided by the 2001 Treaty on the Foundations of Relations and Principles of Cooperation. It was concluded for ten years and automatically renewed for subsequent five-year periods. The new document will be concluded for 20 years. Close coordination between Russia and Iran on the international stage is based on common approaches, including commitment to building a just multipolar world order.

Cooperation across all areas. The parties maintain active dialogue via all channels, including intergovernmental, interparliamentary, inter-agency and inter-regional ones. Both countries give high priority to the development of trade and economic ties. A Russian-Iranian permanent commission on trade and economic cooperation operates effectively.

Bilateral trade rose by 15.5% to $3.77 bln between January and October 2024. The share of national currencies in mutual payments has exceeded 96%. The parties work on a number of major joint projects, primarily in the fields of transport and energy. In particular, the first power unit of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in Iran is in operation and work is underway to construct the second and third units.

The two countries also seek to boost humanitarian ties. The Days of Russian Culture are expected to take place in Iran this year. Efforts continue to establish a Russian Cultural Center in Tehran. The number of Iranian students enrolled in Russian universities has passed 9,000.

North-South Transport Corridor to Be Completed Under Iran-Russia Deal. The new strategic agreement between Russia and Iran provides for completion of the North-South transport corridor and increase in the volume of trade as part of strengthening economic ties between the two countries, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said. This massive transport project connects Iran to Russia and from there to Europe and Asia. With the completion of this corridor, trade routes between the two countries will become shorter and costs will be reduced.

The new agreement also aims at accelerating the growth of trade volume between Iran and Russia, which increased by 15% last year, the minister said, adding that the document covers all economic aspects, including common markets development and infrastructure projects’ investments. “Iran and Russia, as two major powers in the oil and gas industry, can cooperate with each other in the production, transmission and export of energy,” Araghchi said.

This is not the first time Iran has signed a comprehensive long-term agreement with another country. In 2021, Iran and China entered into a 25-year deal covering multiple sectors. However, it faced public scrutiny and criticism, as some observers argued that Tehran had made excessive concessions. At the time, officials clarified that the deal was merely a roadmap and did not include detailed agreements. Both Russia and Iran are under heavy Western sanctions that include restrictions on their vital energy industries.

One of the key clauses in the pact pertains to territorial integrity. Additionally, both countries will commit to opposing unlawful extraterritorial sanctions, including US secondary sanctions, and to supporting each other in international forums.

Nematollah Izadi, the last Iranian ambassador to the Soviet Union, told local media that Pezeshkian’s visit and the signing of the strategic cooperation pact, especially ahead of Donald Trump’s return to power on 20 January, serve as a trust-building measure toward Russia.

What does this treaty mean?

Russia-Iran strategic partnership has the potential to completely transform global commodity markets and accelerate de-dollarization. This is why their growing cooperation makes the United States nervous.

Russia and Iran sign HISTORIC ALLIANCE TREATY, January 16, 2025

The International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC), a network of ports, railways, and automobile roads connecting Russia to India via Iran. INSTC offers a route that is 40% SHORTER and 30% CHEAPER than the traditional Suez Canal route.

Russia – Iran gas transfer deal 2024

Russia – Iran energy cooperation and de-dollarization

Today, Russia and Iran demonstrate a high level of cooperation on numerous regional and global matters. The two countries actively collaborate within frameworks such as BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), strengthening their positions on the international stage. These platforms provide opportunities to promote a multipolar world order, which both nations advocate.

Energy policy is a vital element of their cooperation. As two of the world’s largest exporters of oil and gas, Russia and Iran are natural partners in shaping the global energy agenda. A significant area of focus is the development of a gas pipeline from Russia to Iran. Putin announced that Rosatom is working on a project to construct two new units for the Bushehr nuclear power plant in Iran.

Another key aspect is the development of the North-South International Transport Corridor. The construction of the Rasht-Astara railway line is a crucial component of this project, linking the logistics networks of Russia and Belarus with Iran’s ports in the Persian Gulf. This initiative will not only enhance trade infrastructure but also strengthen the economic independence of both countries from traditional maritime routes.

While a third of the document addresses bilateral military-technical collaboration and international security, it is important to emphasize that the primary focus of the agreement is on expanding trade and economic cooperation, developing infrastructure projects, and strengthening national economies and technological sovereignty.

The signing of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement reflects Russia and Iran’s commitment to building long-term relations in a changing global order. Cooperation in energy and infrastructure underscores the strategic nature of their partnership, while a focus on independence from external influence demonstrates the determination of both nations to safeguard their sovereignty and defend their interests.