Iran and Russia to sign 'strategic deal' as both face regional setbacks

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian will visit Moscow on January 17 to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and sign a strategic cooperation agreement, the Iranian Embassy announced.

The statement followed a meeting on Friday between Kazem Jalali, Iran's Ambassador to Moscow, and Andrey Rudenko, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister. Russia, confirming the meeting, said: "Current issues on the bilateral agenda were discussed, including upcoming high-level contacts," as quoted by Tass.

The initiative comes after both Iran and Russia lost their key Middle Eastern ally, Bashar al-Assad of Syria, last month, when Islamic insurgents swept down from the north and seized Damascus within days.

Discussing the specifics of the deal, Jalali told Iran's state-run Young Journalists Club (YJC), "The independence and security of our country, as well as self-reliance, are crucial elements, and we are not particularly inclined to align ourselves with any specific bloc."

"National independence is of great importance to the Islamic Republic of Iran. After all, we have been paying the price for it for 45 years," he added in an article published Saturday.

Last week, government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani also told Sputnik that Iran expects to sign a comprehensive cooperation agreement with Russia on January 17, during President Masoud Pezeshkian's visit to Moscow.

Mohajerani told the media that the president's upcoming visit to Moscow is expected to advance two major initiatives: "The North-South Corridor, which is already underway, and the plan to transfer Russian gas to Iran—both of which have been key points of agreement between the two sides."

Tehran and Moscow first signed a long-term agreement in March 2001, officially titled the Treaty of the Foundation of Mutual Relations and the Principles of Cooperation between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Russian Federation Act. Initially set for ten years, it was extended twice for five-year terms.

Despite similar announcements about a new agreement since 2020, a renewed treaty has yet to be finalized.

According to Iran’s ambassador to Russia, the two countries agreed in 2021 to extend the treaty for another five years, with its expiration now set for 2026.

In 2023, reports suggested potential challenges in developing a new agreement with Russia, although few details about its content have been made public.

Some commentators in Iran have criticized Russia for the fall of Iran's ally, Bashar al-Assad, noting that Moscow failed to provide sufficient support when insurgents advanced toward Damascus. Ataollah Mohajerani, a government-aligned analyst, wrote in Etemad daily on Saturday that Russia could similarly abandon the Islamic Republic if its interests demanded it.

The Islamic Republic also has a long-term agreement with China, though its details remain undisclosed. Throughout its 45-year standoff with the United States and the accompanying international isolation, Tehran has consistently sought to deepen its cooperation with Moscow and Beijing.