Putin urges deeper Russia-Iran strategic partnership
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday called for the “persistent” strengthening of a comprehensive strategic partnership between Moscow and Tehran in a message to his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian to congratulate on the 47th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. In his message, Putin said relations between the two countries were characterized by “a friendly nature and good neighborliness” as he wished “prosperity and well-being” to the Iranian people, IRNA reported.
“Russia supports Iran’s efforts to safeguard its sovereign rights and legitimate interests and to ensure the country’s security in the current complex international conditions,” he added, in an apparent reference to rising tensions between Iran and the United States, which have seen a massive US naval buildup in the Persian Gulf to threaten the Islamic Republic with military action if a deal is not reached over its nuclear program. Putin and Pezeshkian signed a 20-year comprehensive strategic partnership treaty in Moscow on January 17, 2025 which came into force in early October. Under the treaty, the two countries are committed to assisting one another in countering common security threats and to engaging in intelligence sharing. The agreement also specifies that if one party faces aggression, the other will refrain from aiding the aggressor.