Russia and Iran have unveiled plans to sign a "comprehensive strategic partnership" treaty on Friday when Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian visits Moscow.
The two nations dubbed 'pariahs' by much of the West have seen their cooperation and relations grow in the context of the Ukraine war. "On January 17, Vladimir Putin will hold talks with the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Masoud Pezeshkian, who will come to Russia on an official visit," the Kremlin announced Monday.
The much anticipated treaty has long been in the works, since at least last summer, news of which caused President Zelensky to say there's an axis of rogue states conspiring to defeat Ukraine. This has included North Korea as well, which has lost troops helping Moscow defend Kursk region.
As for the treaty to be signed by the week's close, it was previewed as heavily focused on defense and security cooperation. "It will confirm the parties' desire for closer cooperation in the field of defense and interaction in the interests of peace and security at the regional and global levels," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had earlier stated.
Putin and Pezeshkian in addition to signing the agreement are expected to discuss "prospects for the further expansion of bilateral cooperation, including in trade and investment, transport and logistics and the humanitarian sphere, as well as topical issues on the regional and international agenda," the Kremlin said.
Already, the two sides cooperate deeply on drones. Russia has since the Ukraine war's start been using Iran-produced 'Shahed' kamikaze drones against Ukrainian cities, and Iran has reportedly set up a major UAV production facility on Russian soil at Moscow's invitation.
Moscow and Tehran early last month lost a key Middle East ally upon the fall of Bashar al Assad, after Islamic insurgents rampaged across the country and the demoralized and underpaid Syrian Army quickly collapsed. Turkey was widely seen as supporting the insurgents with intelligence and equipment, and likely other NATO states played a background role as well.
As for Iran, it sees the treaty as further safeguarding independence and national sovereignty:
Discussing the specifics of the deal, Jalali told Iran's state-run Young Journalists Club (YJC), "The independence and security of our country, as well as self-reliance, are crucial elements, and we are not particularly inclined to align ourselves with any specific bloc."
"National independence is of great importance to the Islamic Republic of Iran. After all, we have been paying the price for it for 45 years," he added in an article published Saturday.
But both countries have come under far-reaching US and EU sanctions for what's happening in Ukraine. Western intelligence has warned against the transfer of Iranian ballistic missiles to Russia in the context of the Ukraine war as well. While there have been some reports suggesting this has happened, there's as yet no definitive evidence.