Alwaght- At a time the US is fueling the crises in Ukraine and Gaza in an attempt to impair and isolate Russia and Iran, Tehran and Moscow have wreaked all Washington’s plots through strengthening their mutual relations and cooperation in regional and international policies. One of the main signs of their growing alliance is the frequent exchange of visits of the senior officials of the two countries. Heading a high-ranking political and economic delegation, President Sayyed Ibrahim Raisi of Iran for the second time since he assumed the office two years ago visited Moscow at the invitation of his counterpart Vladimir Putin.
Before flying to Moscow, President Raisi said that expansion of economic, commercial, cultural, and technological ties would be the top agenda of his Moscow visit, adding: “The talks will include a demand for immediate cessation of attacks on Gaza.”
“The Eurasian Union, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the BRICS group as regional platforms, in addition to bilateral relations, have expanded our and Russia’s multilateral relations with other regional and aligned countries,” Raisi further maintained.
Raisi, who was given official reception by the Russian leader, expressed his happiness with the growing ties in the meeting with Putin, describing cooperation with Russia as serving Iran’s neighborliness policy. Pointing to the good cooperation between Iran and Russia in the fields of energy, agriculture and knowledge enterprises, the president emphasized the availability of the ground to take more effective steps in the development of cooperation in line with the interests of the two nations.
Putin, for his part, expressed happiness to see Raisi in Moscow again, adding that relations of the two countries are at their best level “and we think that with support for the supreme Leader (of Islamic Republic of Iran) these relations will grow wider and more dynamic.” The Russian President considered the impressive reception of Russian businessmen to Iran’s trade fairs and the 20 percent growth of trade between the two countries with a turnover of $5 billion over the past one year as an indication of Tehran-Moscow’s determination to open a new chapter in relations. He added: “Transportation projects both in roads and rails are advancing with good progress between the two countries, and the past cooperation between Iran and Russia in the energy sector is experiencing growth. The signing of the free trade agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union and Iran at the end of December will create more opportunities to expand cooperation between Moscow and Tehran.”
Boosting mutual ties
Over the past two years, Iran and Russia have upgraded their ties in all areas to a strategic level, and the repeated meetings of their officials are meant to solidify their bonds.
His country under a wide range of Western sanctions for its war on Ukraine since February 2022, Putin established closer partnership with Iran since then. The Western sanctions on the two countries over nuclear program and Ukraine war have actually given a reason to the two countries to deepen their partnership.
Countering American unilateralism is the defining feature of the two countries’ partnership, and the Iranian president’s visit to Moscow is the pursuit of bilateral relations in the military, political and economic fields.
Later this week, Iran’s Foreign Minister Hussein Amir-Abdollahian and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov signed a document titled “countering sanctions” on the sidelines of meeting of the coastal countries of the Caspian Sea.
“Moscow and Tehran are busy developing bilateral exchanges and cooperation in all basic sectors and are preparing to sign a major bilateral agreement,” Lavrov said in a statement.
The two partners intend to boost cooperation with special emphasis on joint projects mainly in transportation and energy. Iran and Russia have the largest oil and gas reserves and play an important role in regulating the global market and price of these two strategic goods.
Iran’s position in global energy market as well as its unique geopolitical position are important for Russia and China as the two powers are leading a global transition to new world order. In recent years, these two Asian powers have sought to introduce changes to the unipolar international order that has prevailed since the Cold War and are planning to change the power pillars of the new world order from the West to the East. Meanwhile, due to its geopolitical position, huge oil and gas reserves, military strength and economic potential, as well as regional influence, Iran will play a central role in the circle of allies of these two Asian powers. In recent years, the administration of President Raisi has strengthened its eastern partnerships by finalizing Iran’s accession to Russian and Chinese-led international organizations. After last year membership in Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Iran in September officially joined BRICS—Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa— bloc.
In expansion of bilateral ties, the North-South Corridor is of special significance. Since the European borders are closed to Russia, Moscow specially counts on Iran’s railway network to save its foreign trade arteries. This transportation corridor is cost-effective for Russia, because this country would have to use several sea and rail routes to transport its goods to the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf, and with the opening of this project, its transit costs are way lower.
From another aspect, Iran and Russia signed a $40-billion deal in July 2022 according to which Russia will invest in Iran’s oil sector. Officials of two countries also are ready to sign a 20-year ‘comprehensive cooperation document’ and have already taken important steps to this direction. Once free trade agreement signed between Iran and Eurasian Economic Union, Tehran and Moscow ties will see next-level expansion.
President Raisi’s Moscow visit comes about a week after Iran’s deputy defense minister said the deal for procurement of Su-35 fighter jets has been finalized and the jets will be soon delivered to Tehran. Therefore, the Iranian president’s visit can be a proper time to confirm this deal which will be a major booster to Iran’s military power.
Gaza on Putin-Raisi’s agenda
The Israeli war on Gaza was also on the agenda of the two presidents. In the meeting, Raisi criticized the “unfair” world order and condemned the Israeli war on Gaza as a crime against humanity taking place with the support of the US and other Western countries. He emphasized on the need to stop the attacks on Gaza as soon as possible, adding: “A quick solution must be found. International organizations have lost their effectiveness.”
“For us, interaction on regional matters, including Gaza, is of great importance,” Putin for his part said. He held that this meeting at the time of Gaza war and Iran’s major regional role is important. The interest bonds of Moscow and Tehran are global and they identify their relations as part of the struggle for a new world order that eyes impairment of the American influence. Russia is seeking to seize the current circumstances to display the futility of the current world order that has been established by the West since the Cold War.
The two countries have repeatedly called for an end to the Israeli crimes against the Palestinians. Russia wants to strengthen its foothold in the region to increase its bargaining power in future deals with the West, and seeks influence in the region by dealing with the Palestinian side and the Arab countries. Now Palestinian case is more central than before to the Muslim world, and Putin intends to play a role in this long-time conflict, both to boost his image among Muslims and to end the 75-year-old mediation role of the US in this conflict. Russian leaders believe that America’s incomplete solution to the Palestinian issue must end and a new solution must be presented to ensure implementation of the two-state solution and end the suffering of the Palestinians.
Creating balance in relations with Iran and Arab world
Raisi-Putin meeting came a day after Russian president returned from UAE and Saudi Arabia, where he discussed bilateral and international ties with Abu Dhabi and Riyadh officials. In his meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Putin discussed cooperation within the framework of OPEC Plus and both sides emphasized the commitment of their countries to stability in the global oil market.
Over the past two years, Russia has tried to attract the Persian Gulf countries to its side as part of its confrontation with the West, and to achieve this goal, it needs cooperation between Iran and the Arab countries. Moscow is trying to establish a balance in its relations with the Islamic Republic and Persian Gulf monarchies.
Putin’s rare visit to the Persian Gulf states amid Ukraine war reflected Moscow efforts to deepen ties with major oil producers that are important to challenge the US-led world order. With the cooperation of Saudi Arabia and the UAE, Putin plans to put pressure on the US and its allies by controlling energy markets in the world in order to wrest concessions from the West in Ukraine.
It is noteworthy that none of Arab countries have joined Western sanctions on Russia, and the Kremlin continues to boost ties and investment with Arab countries, with UAE standing out as its top partner.
Also, some analysts believe that Putin’s visit to the Persian Gulf along with finalization of jets delivery to Iran comes to assure the Arab countries that the military deal is aimed at no regional countries and is solely meant to counter the American warmongering in the region and that the Russian leader wants to clear any Arab misunderstanding of Russian-Iranian relations. Putin knows that the more friendly Iranian relations with its neighbors, the better can Russia execute and advance its counter-Western plans in the region.
