Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has reaffirmed their nations’ close strategic alliance during a regional summit on Friday, October 11th in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.
The leaders affirmed they both had shared views on global events, which encouraged military and economic ties.
Putin hailed the deepening relationship between the two nations, stating, “Relations with Iran are a priority for us. They are developing very successfully. Our views of events in the world are often very close.”
Pezeshkian, who took office in July following the death of former President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash, was in agreement to Putin’s sentiments.
“Our positions on the international stage are similar,” Pezeshkian remarked, and meant a “sincerity” of their partnership.
He further accused Western powers of fueling unrest in the Middle East, claiming, “The USA and Europe do not want the situation to calm down.”
The meeting took place against the backdrop of intensified military cooperation between the two countries, particularly since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Since then, Iran has supplied Russia with thousands of “Shahed” attack drones, reportedly built a drone factory in Russia, and transferred short-range ballistic missiles.
According to CNN, the transfer of Iranian ballistic missiles in September was very significant. The United States and the European Union quickly responded, imposing sanctions on companies and individuals involved in these arms transfers.
EU foreign ministers are expected to approve further sanctions on Monday, October 14, targeting 14 individuals and organizations, including Iranian airlines and entities linked to missile transfers.
“We are actively working together in the international arena,” Putin told Russian state media outlet TASS.
The Kremlin has touted the meetings as evidence that Russia-Iran relations are at an “all-time high.”
However, Pezeshkian has made it clear that countering Western sanctions is a top priority.
In a recent meeting with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin in Tehran, he called for accelerating joint projects, with both nations and expressed interest in expanding trade and diversifying their economic cooperation.
Pezeshkian’s government also sees membership in BRICS, the bloc of major emerging economies, as key to bypassing Western sanctions.
Iran formally joined BRICS earlier this year, and Pezeshkian is set to attend the upcoming BRICS summit in Russia, where both nations are expected to sign a comprehensive strategic agreement.
Meanwhile, the Middle East is on the verge of a regional war. Just last week, Israel launched airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in Beirut, Lebanon, in response to what Israeli officials described as the largest-ever missile attack from Iran.
Putin and Pezeshkian’s meeting followed these developments, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov acknowledging that the “situation in the Middle East will not be ignored” during their discussions.
Reports also suggest that Russia has been involved in arms transfers to the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, although this has not been confirmed.
Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer recently freed in a prisoner swap with the U.S., is rumored to have facilitated these transfers, though he has denied the allegations.
While Iran and Russia’s military and economic ties continue to strengthen, some analysts believe there are limits to this alliance.
Aniseh Bassiri Tabrizi, senior analyst at Chatham House, noted, “Since Ukraine, the two countries have been more equal in terms of both needing each other and relying on each other for specific issues. But there are continued tensions and misalignments.”
Russia, focused on its war in Ukraine, may struggle to provide extensive military support to Iran beyond a certain point.
However, Moscow stands to benefit from the international distraction caused by conflicts involving Iranian proxies, such as Hezbollah and the Houthis.
Despite these challenges, the Iran-Russia partnership is expected to grow, with both nations relying on each other to resist international isolation.
