New chapter unfolding ...
Major milestone in ties
Ebrahim Rezaei, the head of the Iran-Russia Parliamentary Friendship Group and spokesman for the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee of the legislative chamber, shed more light on the comprehensive cooperation agreement in an interview with Iran Daily.
“In my opinion, the signing of this treaty is a major milestone and a giant leap forward in bilateral relations. It is the result of several years of negotiations between the two countries and holds great importance for the development of their ties.”
According to Rezaei, the treaty includes a preamble and 47 articles, which must be passed by the Iranian Parliament and the Russian Duma.
“The agreement deals with vital areas such as political, security, commercial, economic, energy, scientific and technological cooperation, nuclear collaboration, inter-regional partnerships, defense cooperation, environmental issues, combating organized crime, money laundering and terrorism,” the lawmaker said.
He noted that the treaty emphasizes respect for the territorial integrity of both countries, suggesting that the agreement serves as a very positive and key foundation for building up relations and unlocking substantial cooperation potential between the two nations.
“Given the many shared interests and things the two nations have in common in various fields, the agreement can be a helping hand in numerous aspects.”
Rezaei, referring to the Western sanctions against Iran and Russia, said, “Both countries are in the same boat, facing sanctions, and by joining forces, they can turn the tide and make the most of these collaborations to meet their needs.”
Regarding their current trade status, he explained that trade volume between Iran and Russia is estimated at around $5 billion. Official sources have indicated that trade between the two countries has picked up this year. However, customs data indicates that the trade volume has not budged much this year.
Rezaei said that Iran could fill many of its needs, such as grain, from Russia while simultaneously supplying Russia with agricultural products, particularly during the second half of the year and winter season.
He added that prior agreements in the energy sector, particularly in gas cooperation, were quite fruitful during the term of the late Iranian president Ibrahim Raisi, culminating in a $40 billion agreement when he last visited Russia a year ago, which “we are awaiting its implementation.”
Rezaei also highlighted the importance of Iran-Russia cooperation in developing and strengthening the North-South Corridor, stating, “There is untapped potential between the two countries in various segments of this corridor. To make the most of this opportunity, the completion of rail, maritime and land corridors should be fast-tracked.”
He continued that one of the key priorities in developing relations between the two countries was the construction of these corridors, which both nations need to follow through on earnestly.
The lawmaker noted that there was also huge potential for cooperation in the fields of nuclear energy and power plant construction and promising work had already begun in these areas. “However, these efforts must pick up pace.”
Additionally, Rezaei said that Iran and Russia had successfully worked together in security matters and counterterrorism and such cooperation could be carried over to other areas.
Clear framework to be set up for cooperation
Mostafa Nakhaei, a member of the Energy Committee of the Iranian Parliament, also weighed in on the cooperation agreement between Iran and Russia, telling Iran Daily that various collaborations had come about between the two nations over the years, yielding positive results.
However, he said that Pezeshkian’s visit to Russia could lead to a major leap in cooperation, opening up a new chapter in their relations.
“Both countries need to step up their collaboration to address their mutual needs and signing the strategic partnership treaty could establish a clear and structured framework for this joint cooperation, providing greater transparency in their relations and collaboration methods.”
He added that expanding cooperation between Iran and Russia could yield important outcomes, especially in the energy sector, as both countries were major players in the global energy scene, making this collaboration crucial and decisive.