Pezeshkian to Meet Putin to Sign 'Long-Term Cooperation Agreement'

The Kremlin announced that Masoud Pezeshkian, the head of the 14th government of the Islamic Republic, will travel to Moscow on Friday to meet with Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia. Discussions will include the situation in Syria, developments in the Middle East, and Iran's nuclear program. Simultaneously, Kazem Jalali, the Iranian ambassador in Moscow, announced the signing of a 'long-term strategic cooperation agreement' between Tehran and Moscow during Pezeshkian's visit, stating that this agreement will not include a 'mutual defense' clause, similar to agreements Russia has with North Korea and Belarus. He did not provide details of this contract, which the Iranian government refers to as 'comprehensive strategic cooperation,' adding, 'The nature of this agreement is different. Countries like Belarus and North Korea have established cooperative relations with Russia in areas we have not entered because we have no interest in joining any bloc.' Relations between the Islamic Republic and Russia have significantly strengthened in recent years, especially after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The West, however, refers to both countries as negative actors on the global stage. The Kremlin reported that 'relations between Moscow and Tehran are expanding and developing intensively,' noting that trade between the two countries increased by 15.5% in the first ten months of 2024 compared to the same period last year. Ukraine previously announced that Russia has used over 8,000 Iranian-made drones in its operations since the war began. Kyiv first accused Iran of supplying these drones to Russia in the fall of 2022. The Times reported on January 13 that Ali Larijani, an advisor to Khamenei and a member of the Expediency Discernment Council, has been making secret flights to meet with senior Russian officials. This report stated that these behind-the-scenes efforts aim to garner Russian support for Iran's nuclear program and strengthen Iran's air defense capabilities. Bloomberg: Trump's team is considering oil sanctions against the Iranian government. Rubio: The killing of Soleimani was a sign of American power during Trump's presidency. Biden's defense nominee emphasized deterrence and preventing war. Joe Biden: The Iranian government and its proxies were severely weakened during my presidency. The U.S. ambassador to China: Beijing should reconsider its relations with the Iranian government. The Russian oil and gas industries are subject to the 'most extensive' U.S. sanctions.