Defiant Russia, China pledge closer ties with Iran at BRICS summit

Russia and China pledged on Wednesday to deepen ties with Iran and jointly challenge the U.S.-led global order at an economic summit hosted by President Vladimir Putin.

Putin and Chinese president Xi Jinping met Iran's president Masoud Pezeshkian separately on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia.

Both leaders framed their relations with Tehran as a central part of their effort to counter Western dominance and promote a multipolar world.

"The approaches of Russia and Iran to the global agenda are close or completely coincide," Putin said in a joint appearance, adding that both nations are united by "the desire to form a fair multipolar world order."

Xi also highlighted Iran's role in the unwritten alliance of American adversaries, saying, "the strategic significance of China-Iran relations has become more prominent", according to China's Xinhua news agency.

Western governments, particularly officials in the United States, see China, Russia, and Iran as adversaries. The Russian invasion of Ukraine, rising tensions between Iran and Israel, and the fate of Taiwan have added to the antagonism.

Strategic agreement

Pezeshkian echoed the sentiment with a blunter tone: "We have to disrupt the global domination that is (the West's) intention and be able to cooperate with each other in economy, politics, culture, science, and technical spheres," he said.

Both leaders hailed the strengthening of ties, promising they will become even stronger with the signing of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement.

The official signing may be due in Moscow between Putin and Pezeshkian after the BRICS summit in Kazan. However, the two sides have made similar promises on several occasions in the past, without the treaty being finalized.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov had refused to comment earlier when asked whether that agreement will include mutual military assistance.

The summit is the first since Iran, Egypt and the UAE joined BRICS as full members – with the goal of reducing reliance on Western-dominated institutions like the IMF and World Bank.

With Iran facing significant economic challenges, Pezeshkian's appearance at the BRICS leaders' meeting will likely see him attempt to strengthen and further financial and trade ties.

Geopolitics

US and Western sanctions over accusations Iran sponsors terrorism have taken a toll on the country’s economy – trade between Iran and its largest trading partners has also declined further in 2023.

Iran’s main customer for oil, China, significantly reduced its purchases this year. Adding further to its strain, Tehran saw a 26% drop in trade with India, a 17% decline with Russia, and a 33% falloff with Turkey.

Ahead of the summit, Iran's central bank governor, Mohammad-Reza Farzin, revealed Tehran’s intent to join the BRICS-led New Development Bank. The move signals official efforts at development independent of the World Bank and other Western financial systems – a priority the central bank chief suggested would be central to discussions at the summit.

Iran’s focus will also be geopolitical, as the state braces for a promised Israeli attack after its own barrage of missiles into Israel on October 1.

Given Iran's support for Russia in its invasion of Ukraine, Pezeshkian may seize this opportunity to seek assurances for advanced weapons, such as long-range air defense systems and fighter jets.

Tehran has provided Moscow with hundreds of drones and helped launch their production in Russia, allowing for a constant barrage of long-range drone strikes at Ukraine’s infrastructure. In September, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed that Iran had provided close-range ballistic missiles to Russia.

Russia, meanwhile, has made it clear that it will not abandon Iran, amid the threat of an Israeli retaliation, as confirmed by a Kremlin spokesperson to CNBC on Tuesday.

“We are developing cooperation with Iran in a variety of areas. We intend to do this further,” Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said.

However, as Iran's regional presence has been seriously threatened by Israel, which also intends to launch an attack to punish Tehran for its October 1 missile attack, there is little Russia can do. Last week, Iranian media hinted at some sort of Russian or Chinese mediation in the Middle East, but there is little sign of either.

For Putin, the summit is a way to demonstrate that Russia is far from isolated, showcasing unity among its allies on the global stage. This, despite many attendees—including Saudi Arabia and Iran—harboring longstanding disagreements.