Russia and Iran seek to deepen relations and cooperation – ISW

Experts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) observe that Iran and Russia continue to demonstrate a commitment to deepen bilateral relations and multilateral cooperation. Source: ISW Details: The analysts point out that Russia and Iran continue to exhibit a strong commitment to enhancing their bilateral relations and expanding multilateral cooperation.

Iran's newly elected president, Masoud Pezeshkian, wrote an article in the Tehran Times, lauding the People's Republic of China and Russia for their support during "challenging times".

Pezeshkian referred to Russia as Iran's "valued strategic ally and neighbour" and emphasised that his administration would prioritise and extend bilateral and multilateral cooperation with Russia. He also underscored that Iran "seeks peace" between Russia and Ukraine and is willing to support efforts aimed at achieving this peace.

Meanwhile, the Russian ambassador to Iran, Alexei Dedov, affirmed that Russia will continue the same strategic path with Iran under Pezeshkian's leadership as it did under the late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. Dedov indicated that Russia is receptive to considering peace mediation proposals from Iran, although Russian leader Vladimir Putin has recently rejected the idea of any third-party mediation efforts between Russia and Ukraine.

Additionally, Dedov revealed that Russia and Iran plan to sign a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement in the "foreseeable future", though he did not provide a specific timeframe for this agreement.

To quote the ISW's Key Takeaways on 13 July:

• Ukraine's Security Service (SSU) reportedly conducted successful drone strikes against an oil depot near Tsimlyansk, Rostov Oblast on the morning of 13 July.
• Russia and Iran continue to signal their commitment to deepening bilateral relations and multilateral cooperation.
• A detained Russian businessman and a Russian military official who were reportedly connected to detained former Deputy Defence Minister Timur Ivanov recently died on the same day.
• Armenian border guards, cooperating with Russian authorities, reportedly detained a Russian citizen in Yerevan, likely as part of a continued Kremlin effort to assert political power over Armenia and challenge Armenia's sovereignty amid deteriorating Russian-Armenian relations.
• Ukrainian forces recently regained lost positions near Kupiansk and Svatove, and Russian forces recently advanced near Kreminna, Toretsk and Avdiivka and in the Donetsk-Zaporizhzhia Oblast border area.
• The Russian military continues efforts to improve training capacity.

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