In response to the agreement: Iran's president may come to Russia on January 17
Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian intends to visit Moscow on January 17 to sign a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement with Russia. A high-ranking source in the government of the Islamic Republic told Izvestia. Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not deny this information, but did not confirm it either, saying that the Kremlin will announce the visit in a timely manner. A Russian diplomatic source said that the trip was indeed planned for mid-January. The information was later confirmed by the Iranian Embassy in Russia. The expert community emphasizes that Moscow remains Tehran's most important partner, despite the recent change of power in Iran. Earlier there were rumors that the reformist government headed by Pezeshkian would try to avoid signing the treaty, which was developed under conservative Ebrahim Raisi. The prospects and direction of relations between Russia and Iran are discussed in Izvestia's exclusive article.
Signing a new treaty between Russia and Iran
Russia and Iran intend to conclude a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement in the coming weeks. A high-ranking source in the republic's government told Izvestia that President Massoud Pezeshkian's visit to Moscow to sign it may take place on January 17.
Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian
- We will try to finalize everything by then," he said.
The Iranian Embassy in Russia, as well as the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation did not deny the information about the possible arrival of Masoud Pezeshkian. However, it is possible that the plans of the heads of state may change dramatically and the signing ceremony will be postponed.
- We will announce the visit in due time," Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said when asked by Izvestia whether the Kremlin could confirm the date of the Iranian president's arrival in Moscow - January 17.
On the evening of December 26, information about Pezeshkian's visit to Russia was confirmed by the Iranian Embassy in Moscow.
The invitation to pay an official visit to Russia "in the first days of 2025" was given to Masoud Pezeshkian on December 23. On that day, a government delegation headed by Russian Deputy Prime Ministers Vitaly Savelyev and Alexei Overchuk visited Tehran. At the same time, the Foreign Ministry of the Islamic Republic announced that Pezeshkian's visit was to take place by January 19.
- This is a big event in our bilateral relations. We have been working on the document for several years. The signing should take place in mid-January," a diplomatic source told Izvestia. - We need this treaty. If we cooperate like this, we need a regulatory framework. The treaty will spell out the basic principles on which the interaction between our states is based.
Iranian Embassy in Moscow
The treaty on comprehensive strategic partnership between Russia and Iran was prepared back in the summer of this year, but its approval was postponed due to the death of former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in a plane crash. It was expected that the signing ceremony could take place during Masoud Pezeshkian's visit to Kazan for the BRICS summit in October, but for the sake of this historic event they apparently decided to organize a separate meeting.
The new treaty will be "a serious factor in strengthening Russian-Iranian relations," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said earlier. According to him, it will enshrine the parties' desire for closer cooperation in the field of defense, interaction in the interests of peace and security at the regional and global levels. Now the states are guided by the provisions of the 2001 treaty on the bases of relations and principles of cooperation between Russia and Iran.
- The Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is the entry of Russian-Iranian relations to a qualitatively new level. By signing it, the parties emphasize their mutual importance and readiness to deepen ties in all areas of cooperation, including sensitive areas such as cyber security and military technologies," Leonid Tsukanov, an orientalist, explained to Izvestia. - The event marks an important milestone in relations between the two countries and testifies, among other things, to the continuity of the Iranian elites' perception of Russia as a partner. Earlier, there were rumors that the reformist government headed by Pezeshkian would try to avoid signing the treaty, which was drafted under conservative Raisi. In practice, however, we see a very different approach.
Deepening Russia-Iran relations
In recent years, the level of Russia-Iran relations has risen to an unprecedented high. Moscow has supported Tehran's admission to BRICS and SCO. In addition, last December, Iran signed a full-fledged free trade zone (FTA) agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), which is expected to enter into force in 2025. At the same time, Iran is soon to be granted observer country status in the EAEU.
Economic ties between the two countries are gradually strengthening. Thus, in the first nine months of 2024, the volume of trade between Russia and Iran increased by 14.7%, reaching $3.3 billion.
- Relations with Iran are a priority for us, and they are developing very successfully. This year we have seen an increase in trade turnover. True, it has not recovered a certain drop last year, but the trend is good," Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with Masoud Pezeshkian in October.
By the way, last year the trade turnover reached a record $5 billion. The Russian government expects that after the entry into force of the FTA with the EAEU, the volume of trade with Iran will increase by 27% in 2025, and by 2030 - by almost 70%. In addition, Moscow and Tehran are actively developing the North-South international transportation corridor. At the last intergovernmental meeting, they made important decisions to accelerate the construction of the Resht-Astara railroad section in Iran.
The two countries have enough areas for interaction. They aim to develop trade, economic and political partnership, as well as to work together to revise the international security system taking into account the recent global changes.
- Joint work on overcoming sanctions and political pressure, countering neo-colonialism, developing and strengthening technological sovereignty remains an important area," Farhad Ibragimov, an expert at the Center for Middle East Studies and a lecturer at PFUR's Faculty of Economics, told Izvestia.
At the same time, Iranians are very interested in the economic aspect of cooperation.
- We need to make a very serious bet on the economy, investment projects, so that Iranian companies actively explore the Russian market, and we - the Iranian market," he added.
It is worth noting that Iran supports Russia in the issue of peaceful resolution of the conflict in Ukraine. Tehran emphasizes that one of the reasons for the complication of the crisis is the interference of Western countries in it. "Our basic position is that the conflicting parties should resolve the crisis through peaceful dialog," the Islamic Republic's Foreign Ministry said earlier.
Russia calls Iran a strategic partner. Moscow and Tehran have similar views on the military and political situation in the Middle East and beyond, Leonid Tsukanov added.
- The common challenges facing the countries today (terrorist threat, destabilization of neighboring countries, etc.) contribute to further strengthening of profile ties. Of course, the parties do not declare the formation of an official alliance, but all the conditions for its creation have actually developed," he summarized.
On the other hand, the specifics of Iran's foreign and military policy should be taken into account: the country does not seek to form formal alliances, but to maintain strong ties with all friendly countries, while remaining a fully independent pole of power. This approach allows Tehran to work toward its regional goals without looking to other countries.
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