Inside the strategic partnership treaty between Iran and Russia
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Russian President Vladimir Putin are scheduled to meet in Moscow on 17 January to sign a strategic partnership treaty that has been years in the making.
The long-awaited cooperation agreement will govern relations between the two countries for the next 20 years, Iran's ambassador to Moscow has said.
This is not the first time Iran has signed a comprehensive long-term agreement with another country.
In 2021, Iran and China entered into a 25-year deal covering multiple sectors. However, it faced public scrutiny and criticism, as some observers argued that Tehran had made excessive concessions. At the time, officials clarified that the deal was merely a roadmap and did not include detailed agreements.
There are now similar public concerns about the provisions of the agreement with Russia, particularly given Moscow's limited popularity amongst Iranians. This sentiment is rooted in historical events, including the loss of several Iranian provinces in the Caucasus region, such as Azerbaijan, to Russia in the early 19th century.
Speaking to Middle East Eye, an informed Iranian official said the draft of the agreement with Russia was finalised after 20 to 30 rounds of talks over the course of four to five years. The agreement requires approval from the Iranian parliament.
Provisions
According to the government source, the agreement consists of 47 articles addressing a wide range of areas, including cooperation in technology, information and cybersecurity, peaceful nuclear energy collaboration, counterterrorism efforts, regional cooperation, environmental issues, the Caspian Sea and combating money laundering and organised crime.
Both Russia and Iran are under heavy Western sanctions that include restrictions on their vital energy industries.
Other provisions relate to defence and military cooperation, such as training and joint initiatives, though the specific details will require further agreements and contracts.
Read More »He further noted that the agreement includes a clause prohibiting both parties from supporting or assisting aggressors against each other, as well as from allowing their territories to be used as bases for such actions.
One of the key clauses in the pact pertains to territorial integrity, a point of particular significance for Iran due to the ongoing claims by the United Arab Emirates over the three Gulf islands that Iran has controlled since 1971.
This clause, however, does not include recognition of Crimea, which Russia seized from Ukraine in 2014, or other disputed regions.
Additionally, both countries will commit to opposing unlawful extraterritorial sanctions, including US secondary sanctions, and to supporting each other in international forums.
However, an Iranian foreign policy analyst told MEE that this clause could face challenges if UN Security Council sanctions are reinstated, given that Russia is a Security Council member and is obligated to uphold its own standing.
This could occur if European countries activate the snapback mechanism to reimpose sanctions under the JCPOA, a 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers, before October of this year, when the snapback provision is set to expire.
Mutual complaints
There have been fears that recent events in Syria would impact relations between Tehran and Moscow, especially following a leaked audio recording of an Iranian commander criticising Russia's actions during the rebel offensive that toppled their Syrian ally, Bashar al-Assad.
Read More »In the recording, Behrouz Esbati, an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) general, said Iran had asked for 1,000 Kalashnikov rifles from Russia to secure a critical frontline against rebel advances, but the request was denied. Russia also refused entry to an Iranian plane carrying weapons to Syria, the commander said.
Esbati further criticised Russia's air strike strategy in Syria, saying that instead of targeting key concentrations of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham fighters and weakening proxy forces backed by Turkey and Qatar, Russia's raids primarily hit residential areas and deserts.
Addressing the leaked comments, the Iranian government source told MEE: "The Russians have their complaints about us, saying we didn't perform well on the ground, and we, in turn, have complaints about them."
The source added that these differences will not hinder more cooperation between the two countries.
Building trust
Nematollah Izadi, the last Iranian ambassador to the Soviet Union, told local media that Pezeshkian's visit and the signing of the strategic cooperation pact, especially ahead of Donald Trump's return to power on 20 January, serve as a trust-building measure toward Russia.
'The Russians have their complaints about us...and we, in turn, have complaints about them'
- Iranian official
He added that the move aims to reassure Moscow and Putin that Iran will not abandon its relationship with the country, even in the event of de-escalation with the West and the United States.
However, one former Iranian diplomat based in Europe expressed concerns about any potential negative impact this agreement could have on ongoing Iran-Europe negotiations aimed at resolving the nuclear dispute.
He also noted that most of Iran's neighbouring countries would not welcome a successful outcome of these negotiations.
The lifting of sanctions and the subsequent expansion of economic and trade activities, increased energy exports and attraction of foreign investment would enhance Iran's geopolitical influence at the expense of its neighbours, he said.
