MOSCOW, January 17. /TASS/. President Vladimir Putin of Russia and President Masoud Pezeshkian of Iran will hold talks at the Kremlin on Friday and sign the Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

The meeting’s agenda includes global and regional issues of mutual interest, including developments in the Middle East. The parties will also discuss the situation in the South Caucasus and the state of affairs around Iran’s nuclear program. The bilateral agenda includes ways to expand trade, investment, transport, logistics and humanitarian cooperation.

Putin and Pezeshkian are supposed to make statements to the media after the talks.

New level of relations

The treaty is designed to bring Russia-Iran relations to a new level, cementing their status as strategic partners.

According to officials from both counties, the document will cover all areas, including defense, the fight against terrorism, the energy sector, finances, transport, industries, agriculture, culture, science and technology.

Russia and Iran are currently guided by the 2001 Treaty on the Foundations of Relations and Principles of Cooperation. It was concluded for ten years and automatically renewed for subsequent five-year periods. The new document will be concluded for 20 years.

Professor Ruhollah Modabber, Iranian political scientist and the country’s leading Russia expert, told TASS that the new treaty would not only boost cooperation between the two countries but would also allow them to better resist US sanctions. The document also contains provisions on respect for each other’s territorial integrity.

According to the Kremlin, the treaty is in line with aspirations of both Moscow and Tehran and is not directed against the interests of other countries. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi noted that the treaty did not provide for the establishment of a defense alliance.

Cooperation across all areas

The Kremlin pointed out that Russia-Iran relations "are on the rise," progressing based on the principles of mutual respect and the consideration of each other’s interests. The parties maintain active dialogue via all channels, including intergovernmental, interparliamentary, inter-agency and inter-regional ones. In November, Russia’s prime minister made a visit to Iran, the first in recent years.

Both countries give high priority to the development of trade and economic ties. A Russian-Iranian permanent commission on trade and economic cooperation operates effectively.

Bilateral trade rose by 15.5% to $3.77 bln between January and October 2024. The share of national currencies in mutual payments has exceeded 96%. The parties work on a number of major joint projects, primarily in the fields of transport and energy. In particular, the first power unit of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in Iran is in operation, and work is underway to construct the second and third units.

The two countries also seek to boost humanitarian ties. The Days of Russian Culture are expected to take place in Iran this year. Efforts continue to establish a Russian Cultural Center in Tehran. The number of Iranian students enrolled in Russian universities has passed 9,000.

"Close coordination between Russia and Iran on the international stage is based on common approaches, including commitment to building a just multipolar world order based on universally recognized principles of international law, equal and indivisible security, mutually beneficial and equitable cooperation between countries, the desire to pursue an independent foreign policy and determination to resist external pressure and the practice of illegitimate sanctions," the Russian presidential press service stated.

Previous communication

This will be the third meeting between Putin and Pezeshkian. The first two took place on the sidelines of an international forum in Turkmenistan and the BRICS summit in the Russian city of Kazan in October 2024.

Besides, Putin and Pezeshkian held two phone calls in 2024.

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China-Iran relations are strongly founded, and the three mutual’s should be particularly mentioned. The first should be mutual appreciation of the civilization of the other side. China represents civilization of East Asia while Iran represents the achievements of human civilization of West Asia. The two have been learning from each other for more than two thousand years. The shared heritage of Karez is just one example of the mutual learning of the two. And the two have been interacting with each other peacefully along the ancient Silk Road.

The second should be mutual acknowledgement of the importance of the other side as a strategic actor. China is well aware that Iran is a great regional power with diligent and intelligent people, abundant resources and geopolitical location while Iran is well aware that China is one of the leading actors situated in East Asia but with global influence. The two are interdependent partners on strategic issues.

The third should be mutual economic complementarity. While Iran is rich in natural resources including oil and gas and a number of very important rare minerals, China has advantage in financial investment and advanced technologies, and is in need of energy as a major consumer. The complementarity has served to bind the two together economically.

The three mutual’s have served to maintain the relations between the two in stable ways for decades. But worthy of special mentioning is that the last years, the year 2024 in particular, have seen that the relations between the two have entered a new stage of mutual political trust as a result of both the natural development of bilateral relations and the evolution of global politics.

MOSCOW, January 17. /TASS/. The Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty to be signed today between Russia and Iran will give an impetus to practical cooperation in all areas, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at his meeting with Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian.

"Your visit today is of special significance, because we will not only have an opportunity to discuss all areas of our cooperation, but we will also sign a major basic treaty between Russia and Iran on comprehensive strategic partnership," the Russian leader said.

He recalled that Moscow and Tehran had been working on the document for a long time.

"I am very pleased that this work has been completed. It is important, because it will open up an opportunity to give an additional impetus to practically all areas of our cooperation," Putin added.

MOSCOW, January 17. /TASS/. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, on an official visit to Russia, laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Alexander Garden, a TASS correspondent reports.

After laying a wreath of scarlet roses and white lilies, Pezeshkian paid tribute to the memory of the fallen soldiers with a minute of silence.

The ceremony was accompanied by the Special Military Exemplary Band of the Honor Guard.