Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian, held talks in the Kremlin on Friday before signing a broad cooperation pact to deepen their partnership amid stinging Western sanctions.
Their “comprehensive strategic partnership treaty” covers all areas -– from trade and military cooperation to science, education and culture, the Kremlin said.
Pezeshkian’s visit comes ahead of Monday’s inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, who has pledged to broker peace in Ukraine and take a tougher stance on Iran, which is grappling with growing economic problems and other challenges, including military setbacks in its sphere of influence across the Middle East.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed any link with Trump’s inauguration, saying the signing had been planned long ago.
Welcoming Pezeshkian as they sat down for talks, Putin said the new treaty will “give an additional impulse to practically all areas of our cooperation.”
Pezeshkian, who met Putin for the third time since coming to power in July, said the documents form a “solid foundation for our forward movement.”
