Pezeshkian says he intends to cooperate with Russia and China to counter the US

Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian said he was ready to expand relations with Russia and China to counter the United States. A statement to this effect was published on December 4 on the website of the Iranian leader.

"We are determined to expand our cooperation with Russia and China in line with countering [US] unilateralism," Pezeshkian said.

He also said the Iranian government is keen to realize the comprehensive partnership pact with Beijing, adding that he held constructive talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the 16th BRICS summit in Kazan.

Earlier in the day, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation with Pezeshkian, with their conversation focusing on the worsening situation in Syria. In addition, the presidents discussed the development of partnership between Moscow and Tehran in various sectors, taking into account the agreements that Putin and Pezeshkian reached at their meeting in Kazan at the BRICS summit on October 23.

Prior to that, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko said on November 24 that the comprehensive treaty between Russia and Iran will meet the challenges and requirements of modernity. According to him, the document will cover almost all spheres of Russian-Iranian cooperation, including defense and security.

Putin and Pezeshkian met at the BRICS summit in Kazan in late October. The Russian leader said at the time that ties between the two countries were on the rise and were friendly, and that the first trip to Russia by the president of the Islamic republic since he took office was symbolic in nature. At their previous meeting the same month, Putin said he was also expecting Pezeshkian to pay an official visit to Russia.