The Cradle, January 17, 2024 —Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said during a briefing on 17 January that Russia and Iran will soon sign a new comprehensive cooperation agreement, which is now in the final drafting stage.
“The draft of a new interstate treaty between Russia and Iran is in the final stage of negotiation, […] the treaty itself is expected to be signed during one of the nearest contacts between the presidents of Russia and Iran,” Zakharova said.
Zakharova said that this treaty will cover a whole range of multi-faceted Iran-Russia relations, and the document will consolidate at the official level the comprehensive and strategic nature of the partnership between Moscow and Tehran.
“This is not only a mature, but already overdue decision,” the Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said. “More than 20 years have passed since the signing of the current agreement [between Iran and Russia] … in 2001. Many issues, including the situation in the international arena, have changed, and the framework of relations between our countries has also improved to an unprecedented level.”
Relations between Iran and Russia have been growing stronger over the years. With sanctions imposed on the two countries by Western nations, and with Iran joining BRICS, of which Russia is a key member, ties between Tehran and Moscow have grown even closer.
Among other areas of strengthening ties between Iran and Moscow, military cooperation between Tehran and Moscow has been growing in recent months.
In November, Iran finalized arrangements to purchase the Russian-made Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets, Mil Mi-28 attack helicopters, and Yak-130 jet trainers.
Aside from defense, both trade and banking ties between Iran and Russia have also been growing over recent years, despite Western sanctions imposed on the two nations.
The central banks of Russia and Iran signed an interbank transfer deal earlier this year that allows 52 Iranian banks to connect and transfer with 106 Russian banks.
Russia also launched its first fuel-by-rail exports to Iran in early 2023, following its import suspensions by Moscow’s main purchasers, due to Western sanctions placed on the nation after the start of the war in Ukraine.