Putin congratulates Iran's new president, promises more cooperation

Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Masoud Pezeshkian on his election as the president-elect of Iran during a phone call on Monday.

According to ISNA, President Putin expressed his best wishes for Pezeshkian's success in his “significant responsibility ahead,” as well as “for the well-being and prosperity of the Iranian people.”

Pezeshkian was elected in a runoff on Friday, after a highly stage-managed electoral process following the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a freak helicopter crash in May.

During the phone call, Putin noted that the relations between the Islamic Republic and Russia are at the highest level and expressed hope that these relations will continue during Pezeshkian's presidency.

Russia and Iran have strengthened their alliance in the past decade during the war in Syria where they both sent forces to rescue the government of Bashar al-Assad. Moscow has also sided with Tehran in its nuclear dispute with the West, condemning sanctions and continuing trade and financial relations. Iran in return has supplied Russia with hundreds of suicide drones that have been used against Ukrainian infrastructure and civilian targets.

Russia, which is also under Western sanctions, can offer Iran more military technology, but trade between the two allies has remained limited to less than $5 billion per year. In fact, both economies are heavily dependent on oil exports and they both compete for illicit shipments to China.

Putin also highlighted the expanding cooperation between Iran and Russia, particularly in the energy and transportation sectors. He invited Pezeshkian to attend the upcoming BRICS summit in Kazan and emphasized Russia's readiness to sign a comprehensive cooperation agreement between the two countries on the sidelines of the summit. The agreement is a new version of a previous accord signed in 2001.

According to ISNA, Pezeshkian expressed his gratitude for Putin's warm and friendly congratulations, stating, "We place great importance on our relations with the friendly and neighboring country of Russia, and we will undoubtedly strengthen these relations."

The president-elect emphasized the new government's commitment to pursuing and implementing the agreements made during the late President Raisi's administration.

Pezeshkian also highlighted the importance of cooperation between the two countries in international and regional organizations and alliances such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, BRICS, and Eurasia. He noted that the comprehensive cooperation agreement between Iran and Russia has been finalized and is ready to be signed on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Russia.