(Dan Tri) - Russia and Iran have signed a 20-year strategic partnership agreement to strengthen economic and military cooperation.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkia (Photo: Reuters).
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian agreed on January 17 to strengthen military ties between the two countries by signing a 20-year strategic partnership agreement, a move that could raise concerns in the West.
Under the agreement, Russia and Iran will step up cooperation in a range of areas including security, military exercises, port visits by warships and joint training for officers.
The two countries pledged not to allow their territories to be used for any actions that threaten the other and will not provide support to forces attacking either country. The agreement also states that the two sides will cooperate to deal with military threats.
However, the agreement does not include a mutual defense clause like the pact between Russia and North Korea, which the West says has led to North Korean troops being deployed to fight in Ukraine, a claim Moscow has neither confirmed nor denied.
The agreement also does not directly mention arms transfers, although this is a matter of particular concern for the US and its allies. However, both sides affirmed that they would develop "military-technical cooperation".
Mr Pezeshkian, in his first visit to the Kremlin since being elected president last July, hailed the pact as an important new chapter in bilateral relations. Mr Putin also stressed that Moscow and Tehran had many common views on international issues.
“This treaty creates better conditions for bilateral cooperation in all areas,” Putin said, stressing the benefits for economic and trade relations, much of which is conducted in the two countries’ national currencies.
"We need less bureaucracy and more concrete actions. Regardless of the difficulties created by others, we will overcome them and move forward," he said, referring to the thousands of sanctions imposed by the West on both Russia and Iran.
Mr. Putin said that Russia regularly informs Iran about the situation in Ukraine and the two sides also consult closely about events in the Middle East and the South Caucasus region.
Russia and Iran were key military allies of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who was ousted late last year.
The West also accuses Iran of supplying missiles and drones to Russia for use in attacks in Ukraine, something both sides deny.
Additionally, Mr. Putin said work on a potential gas pipeline to transport gas from Russia to Iran via Azerbaijan is still progressing.
Mr Pezeshkian said the deal with Russia showed that Moscow and Tehran did not need to care about the opinions of "countries across the ocean."
"The agreements reached today are a new impetus for creating a multipolar world," he said, expressing hope that the war in Ukraine could end through negotiations.
Moscow has strengthened ties with Iran and other rival states and taken a confrontational stance with the United States since the outbreak of hostilities in Ukraine. Russia has signed strategic pacts with North Korea and Belarus, as well as a cooperation agreement with China.
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-gioi/nga-iran-ky-hiep-uoc-20-nam-bat-tay-doi-pho-bao-trung-phat-phuong-tay-20250118074623071.htm
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