Marking the first international meeting outside the borders of the former Soviet Union since the invasion of Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin landed in Tehran on Tuesday.
During the meeting with Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi, Putin said, “I am extremely happy to be on the friendly Iranian soil…We can boast about record figures in terms of trade growth. We are enhancing our cooperation on matters of global security, a significant step towards resolution of the Syrian problem.”
Raisi too praised strong security cooperation between the two countries, noting their “good experience” in counterterrorism efforts.
Highlights of the meeting.
An agreement worth $ 40 billion was signed between Iran’s national oil company and Russia’s Gazprom. Under the deal, gas fields will be developed in Iran, and also new gas export pipeline will be constructed to connect Russia and Iran.
Vladimir Putin also held a meeting with the Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Khamenei. Justifying Russia’s aggression on Ukraine Khamenei stated NATO’s expansion had to be “stopped.”
“NATO is a risky organization. A robust, independent Russia is completely opposed by the West. If NATO is given the green light, it will have no regard for boundaries. A similar war would have later begun in Crimea if it hadn’t been stopped in Ukraine”—told Khamenei.
United States’ concern.
According to recently disclosed US data, Iran is prepared to supply hundreds of drones to Russia, including weapons-capable ones. It will also instruct Russian forces on how to deploy these drones, for effective use in the conflict in Ukraine.
In a statement National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications John Kirby said, the fact that Russia turned to Iran for assistance “speaks volumes about the degree to which both nations have been increasingly isolated by the international community for their actions in different areas of the world.”
The meeting comes at a time when talks to revive JCPOA has been installed and with the recent developments the revival of the deal has become highly unlikely.
Meeting with Erdogan.
During the visit, Putin also met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The issue of Ukraine’s grain exports was one of the subjects Putin and Erdogan discussed. The Russian government has been accused by the Ukrainian government of stealing grains from occupied Ukrainian territory and selling them on the international market.
Putin congratulated Erdogan, for his efforts to serve as a mediator between the two countries over grain issues. “We have advanced thanks to your intervention,” he remarked. “But not every problem has been solved. However, what was already good.”
Erdogan stated that the two countries (Russia and Ukraine) should continue their diplomatic discussions.
Putin’s visit comes after Erdogan, a NATO member, threatened to thwart Sweden and Finland’s accession to the alliance once more, despite having conditionally approved their application in June.
Erdogan stated on Monday, following a cabinet meeting: “I would want to remind you once more that we would freeze the process if they do not take the necessary steps to fulfill our demands.”
At the NATO summit last month, he announced that he was no longer opposed to the expansion, at USA’s request but on conditions proposed by him. Russia and Turkey share cordial bilateral relations but this step was considered a significant blow to Russia by the west.
