Russian president Vladimir Putin has authorised the signing of a comprehensive partnership agreement with Iran following months of negotiations in St Petersburg and Tehran between senior security officials. Having lauded “strategic” ties between the two countries, Mr Putin described the deal as “expedient” and said it would be signed “at the highest level”.
Modelled on the 2021 agreement between China and Iran, the Russian-Iranian deal lays out two decades of co-operation in political, defence, regional and international affairs, according to Iran’s Press TV.
Amwaj.media said the agreement suggests Moscow and Tehran have shelved a row over lucrative trade routes in the south Caucasus.
The Russian and Iranian presidents plan to hold talks at the Brics summit which begins on October 22nd in the Russian city of Kazan.
Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian is expected to visit Russia next month to sign the partnership deal. According to Amwaj.media, this could pose an obstacle to his efforts to repair relations with the West and revive the 2015 agreement limiting Iran’s nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting of sanctions which are crippling Iran’s economy.
The partnership deal has been concluded amid charges by Washington and Kyiv that Iran has provided Russia with ballistic missiles and thousands of attack drones which target Ukrainian military sites and civilian infrastructure.
While denying these allegations, Tehran advertised its latest locally designed and manufactured Jihad missiles and Shahed drones on Saturday in a military parade. Mr Pezeshkian said: “Today, our defensive and deterrent capabilities have grown so much that no demon even thinks about any aggression towards our dear Iran.” He called for unity among Muslim nations to counter Israel’s regional offensives.
Reuters cited anonymous European and US officials who said Iran has delivered short-range tactical Fath-360 guided missiles with a range of 121km to Russia but did not supply launchers, without which the weapons are not operational. A European official said Iran was not expected to provide the launchers. According to Reuters, two other officials said Russia may modify lorries to launch the missiles or, by pausing deliveries, Iran could try to ease tensions with the West.
Early this month US secretary of state Antony Blinken argued the Fath-360 missile could be fired at close-range front-line positions, enabling Russia to conserve its extensive arsenal of longer-range missiles for distant targets.
In response to Iran’s shipments via cargo ships, the US has sanctioned 10 individuals and six entities based in Russia and Iran, including national carrier Iran Air. Britain, France, and Germany cancelled Iran Air flights.
Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi denied the accusations and said “sanctions addicts” should examine the effectiveness of restrictions which nave not prevented Iran from developing advanced weapons.
- Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
- Join The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date
- Listen to our Inside Politics podcast for the best political chat and analysis
