Iran and Russia Pact Strengthens Image of 'Rogue Government' for the Islamic Republic

A common enemy named the United States has brought Iran and Russia closer together despite their historically tense and deeply distrustful relationship. Now, these two countries, among the most sanctioned in the world, have signed a strategic pact that will define their bilateral relations for the next two decades. This agreement deepens the relationship between Tehran and Moscow, which has expanded in recent years, including their cooperation in Syria, where both countries supported the ousted dictator Bashar al-Assad, and also in Ukraine, where Iran, despite official denials, has supplied cheap suicide drones to Russia for the all-out war that the Kremlin began against its neighbor in 2022. The agreement, signed on January 18 during a meeting between Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Moscow, is likely to face distrust from the Iranian public and even skepticism from some politicians within the country who believe 'Moscow cannot be trusted.' Recently, a senior commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps accused Russia of betrayal in Syria and alignment with Iran's main enemy, Israel. In 2021, Mohammad Javad Zarif, the then Iranian Foreign Minister who is now the Vice President for Strategic Affairs, accused Russia of attempting to undermine nuclear diplomacy with the West. The new strategic partnership agreement comes at a time when the Islamic Republic of Iran is at one of its weakest historical junctures. Iran's economy is devastated, and the so-called 'Resistance Axis' has been severely weakened or, according to some, even dismantled. Meanwhile, the Iranian government faces a populace increasingly angry and frustrated by four decades of mismanagement and inefficiency by clerics that have led to poverty, repression, and even widespread power outages in a country with vast energy resources. The signing of the 'strategic cooperation' agreement with Russia occurs just days before the inauguration of Donald Trump, the newly elected President of the United States, in Washington, and Iranian officials, including Masoud Pezeshkian, have sent messages to the new Trump administration that is likely to increase pressures on Tehran. This agreement is unlikely to provide the Islamic Republic with the necessary economic assistance or security against increasing tensions with Israel at a time when there are many speculations about the possibility of an Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear facilities. Currently, Tehran's relationship with Russia has brought more sanctions and isolation for the country and has reinforced the image of Iran's government as a 'rogue regime.' This partnership is likely to exert more international pressure on Iran and make achieving potential de-escalation with the West more difficult.