Emil Avdaliani
On January 17, the leaders of Iran and Russia signed a new comprehensive strategic partnership agreement in Moscow, replacing a previous pact from 2001 that has been renewed several times (Al Jazeera, January 17). Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and deteriorating Russia-West relations have transformed Moscow-Tehran ties. Historically, Russia was cautious about sharing sensitive technology with Iran to avoid Western backlash. Russia’s war against Ukraine, however, has pushed Moscow to further pivot toward Asia, with Iran playing a key role in this realignment. Even if the war against Ukraine ends, Russia’s alignment with Iran is likely to continue. As both states face Western sanctions, Moscow increasingly views Tehran as a vital partner, especially for access to the Indian Ocean and East Africa (see EDM, January 11, 2024). Iran, anticipating maximum pressure from Washington, is also keen to expand military and political cooperation with Russia (The White House, February 4).
The official details of the new agreement essentially cover all areas of cooperation, including culture, politics, infrastructure development, and even sanitation (IranGov, January 17). Russia and Iran argue that the two will continue promoting a just and multipolar world. This means cooperation within and expansion of such platforms as BRICS+ and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (see EDM, November 4, 2024). [1] Another area of cooperation is the development of a new payment system to facilitate the reduction of dependence on the U.S. dollar (see EDM, January 11, 2024). There are also intentions to expand the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), which runs from Russian ports to Iran and its southern seashore and aims to link Russia with the Middle East, India, and even Africa’s eastern coasts (see EDM, June 7, 2023).
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