Iran Announces Strategic Alliance with Russia

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Said Khatibzadeh assured Monday that the Eastern axis had been defined between Iran, China, and Russia, thus announcing the signing of a strategic partnership with Russia.

The future legal understanding would come more than half a year after having closed a similar agreement with China and in a context of rearrangements of regional alliances and announcements of new partnerships in different regions.

RELATED:

Russia, Iran Agree To Intensify Cooperation on Nuclear Affairs

According to the Iranian spokesman, it has become necessary to improve relations between Iran and Russia in recent years and focus on strategic partnerships. He said the initial provisions of the document, titled "Comprehensive Iran-Russia Cooperation Pact," have been concluded.

Khatibzadeh explained that they have finalized the various clauses of the document and will send it to Moscow. He added that they expect this document to be signed in the coming months and explained that it is a 25-year strategic plan, like the one worked out with China.

"We had excellent talks with the Russian foreign minister in Moscow on various issues of common interest, including Afghanistan, the Caucasus, Syria, Yemen, and the JCPOA."

On March 27, Iran signed a 25-year strategic and trade cooperation agreement with China that includes political and economic clauses. In September, Tehran joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), led by Russia and China.

Similarly, the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and Iran have signed an interim mutual free trade agreement. They have begun negotiating a comprehensive permanent agreement on a free trade zone between the EAEU and Iran.