The Iranian president visited Russia to enhance bilateral relations and focus on cooperation in the economic, trade and military fields

Source: Global Times

At the invitation of Russian President Putin, Iranian President Lehi arrived in Moscow on the 19th to begin a two-day visit. This is Lehi's first visit to Russia since he took office in August last year, and the media of the two countries have paid great attention to it. Some analysts said that during this visit, the cooperation between Russia and Iran in the military technology, economic and trade fields attracted the most attention.

Iranian President Lehi infographic. Image source Visual China

According to the Russian News Agency reported on the 19th, Putin met with Lehi in the Kremlin on the same day. Putin said that even in the context of the pandemic, the total trade between Russia and Iran has increased by 38%. He said that the Russian side wants to understand Iran's position on the issue of restarting the Iranian nuclear agreement and the situation in Afghanistan. Lehi said Iran wants to maintain stable and comprehensive relations with Russia, and That Iran-Russia cooperation in Syria to combat terrorism can create preconditions for expansion and application in other areas. Iran and Russia could create synergies in cooperation to better withstand Western pressure. Lehi thanked Putin for his help in Iran's accession to the SCO and stressed that Iran and Russia can significantly strengthen cooperation in the economic field. Iran submitted a draft 20-year strategic cooperation agreement to Russia.

According to iran's Tasnim news agency reported on the 19th, before the departure of the day, Lehi told reporters at the airport that the purpose of the trip is to promote regional diplomacy, considering the relationship between the two countries in the political, economic and trade fields, the visit to Russia will become a turning point in the relations between the two countries. Lehi said that the visit is mainly concerned with bilateral relations between Iran and Russia, especially in the political, economic, energy, trade and aviation fields, considering the huge potential of the two countries, the interaction and cooperation between the two countries will help safeguard the common interests of both sides, help curb unilateralism in the world and create regional security and stability. According to reports, Lehi will deliver a speech in the Russian State Duma (the lower house of parliament) on the 20th and meet with the Iranian people in Russia. The Iranian Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs and the Minister of Petroleum accompanied the delegation on the delegation.

On November 16 last year, Lehi said in a phone call with Putin that Iran was ready to conclude a long-term agreement with Russia for comprehensive cooperation. Therefore, whether the two sides will sign relevant agreements during the visit has aroused concern from the outside world. Iran's Mehr News Agency quoted Iranian Ambassador to Russia Jalali as saying on the 19th that the visit will determine a "roadmap for Iran-Russia cooperation", but the signing of a comprehensive cooperation document is not on the agenda of this visit.

The outside world is also concerned about whether Lehi's visit can reach the signing of a large Iranian and Russian weapons order. Russian "Viewpoint" said on the 19th that during Leahy's visit to Russia, the two countries are expected to sign a total of up to 10 billion US dollars in arms sales orders, including the maintenance and modernization of MiG-25 and Su-24MK fighters, as well as the sale of Su-35 fighters and S-400 air defense missile systems to Iraq. However, relevant reports believe that if Russia and Iran reach an arms sales agreement, they may encounter payment problems. Subject to Western sanctions, it is not excluded that Iran wants to pay the fee by allowing Russian companies to enter the Iranian gas field in the Caspian Sea. Some Russian experts are skeptical about whether this payment method is appropriate. In addition, there are Russian experts who are worried that Russia's supply of S-400 air defense missile systems to Iran may fundamentally change the regional balance of power.

The "Middle East Eye" news network said on the 19th that in addition to the possible large orders of arms sales, Lehi's visit will also be committed to promoting bilateral trade between Iran and Russia and strengthening contacts in various fields of the economy of the two countries. Russia Today TV said that in the face of sanctions pressure from the United States and other Western countries, the discussion of Russia and Iran on economic and trade cooperation projects has become extremely important, and the cooperation projects between the two countries in infrastructure construction in the field of trade and logistics have the prospect of discussion, and the two countries also plan to carry out energy cooperation at bilateral, regional and international levels.

The Vienna talks on the resumption of the JCPOA are now in their eighth round and have still not made significant progress. Avatkov, associate professor of the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Foreign Ministry, believes that the prospects for the Iranian nuclear agreement are "very complicated", so the Leaders of Russia and Iran are "on the table" on this issue, and the results of the meeting between the leaders of the two countries may set the negotiating track for the next round of talks to restart the Iranian nuclear agreement.

Fedorova, an expert at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, believes that the situation in the Persian Gulf and Afghanistan will also become the focus of the leaders of Russia and Iran on the agenda of international issues. The United States has increased its military presence in Gulf countries and promoted arms sales to Arab countries, tensions in the Gulf are escalating, and Western policies have reason to make security in the Gulf the focus of the talks between Russian and Iranian leaders. In addition, both Russia and Iran advocate that Afghanistan can establish an inclusive government, and both countries have provided a large amount of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, so that Russia and Iran can further strengthen cooperation in this regard.

The media of both countries gave a positive appraisal of Lehi's visit to Russia. Iran's Mehr News Agency said on the 19th that Lehi's visit to Russia highlighted Iran's diplomatic focus on developing cooperation with the East and neighboring countries. Iran is at the center of the north-south corridor, and Iran-Russia relations will help expand cooperation between the two countries in the southern and northern regions of Eurasia, making Iran an important hub of the Eurasian north-south corridor. The "Moscow Komsomol Members' Newspaper" said that the meeting between the Russian and Iranian presidents is of great significance. Both Iran and Russia are targets of U.S. sanctions pressure, so Russia and Iran can exchange experiences on how to deal with Western sanctions and coordinate positions to build some sort of united front.