- Reuters
- 4 Minutes ago

Russia, Iran sign sweeping strategic partnership agreement
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- Web Desk
- Jan 18, 2025

MOSCOW: Russia and Iran signed a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement, cementing their ties in the face of growing international isolation and crippling economic sanctions.
The deal was inked after talks about between Russian President, Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian, at the Kremlin.
Read more: Oil prices hit four-month high as US sanctions tighten grip on Russian supply
The agreement marks another instance of deepening ties and cooperation between the two isolated countries, currently facing mounting pressure from the Western nations.
Under the terms of the agreement, Russia and Iran will collaborate across a wide range of sectors, including defence, counter-terrorism, finance, transport, industry and agriculture.
The two countries will also work together in the fields of culture, science and engineering.
The partnership comes as Russia and Iran grapple with the fallout from their respective actions on the international arena. Russia has been hit by a barrage of sanctions following its invasion of Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Iran’s determination to pursue its nuclear programme, especially after upcoming United States president, Donald Trump, needlessly pulled out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), better known as the Iran nuclear deal, in 2018.
The JCPOA ensured that Iran would scale back its nuclear programme in exchange for relief from sanctions, among other provisions.
An incensed Israeli PM Netanyahu blasted former United States president, Barack Obama, for negotiating the deal. Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israeli capital in 2017, and then withdrew from the deal in 2018, effectively reinstating sanctions on the Middle Eastern country.
An enraged Iran restarted its nuclear programme, with many experts predicting the Islamic regime had edged closer to weapons-grade uranium enrichment levels.
While officials from Britain, France and Germany met with their Iranian counterparts for talks regarding the latter’s nuclear programme in January, mindful of Donald Trump’s upcoming inauguration as president, there has been little development.
Russia had to turn to other allies to keep its economy afloat. Vladimir Putin went on successful international trips to North Korea, Vietnam and Mongolia in 2024. Arguably the most successful visit was to the hermit kingdom, where the North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un agreed to send 10,000 North Korean soldiers to aid Russia in its war against Ukraine.
The Soviet Union successor even entered a barter trade agreement with Pakistan, under which Russia would sent 20,000 tonnes of chickpea to Pakistan in return for 20,000 tonnes of rice. Over 60 Pakistani companies also participated in a Pakistan-Russia Trade and Investment Forum in Moscow in October last year.
Russia similar turned to Iran to strengthen ties in attempt to mitigate the impact of the punitive measures taken by the West. The agreement is also seen as a means of countering the influence of the United States and its allies in the region.
While Russia and Iran have enjoyed close relations in recent years, their ties has also been marked by periods of tension and mistrust, with the two nations occasionally finding themselves on opposing side of regional conflicts.
Read more: Israeli cabinet votes to approve Gaza ceasefire deal
The two heads-of-state view the latest agreement as strengthening the bilateral relationship and as a critical counterweight to the Western influence in the Middle East.
