Iran and Russia, two countries under Western sanctions, have pledged to strengthen their long-term cooperation, particularly in the gas and oil sector, Tehran said during a meeting with the Russian president, Vladimir Poutine.
“Long-term cooperation between Iran and Russia is very beneficial to both countries […]. There are agreements and contracts between the two countries, including in the oil and gas sectors, which must be pursued and fully implemented,” said a statement from Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Vladimir Putin arrived in Tehran on Tuesday for discussions with his Iranian and Turkish counterparts on the conflict in Syria, but also on the war in Ukraine. This summit comes a few days after US President Joe Biden’s tour of the Middle East.
The Heads of State also addressed the issue of terrorism and the war in Syria. Turkish president expects ‘support’ from Russia and Iran in fight against terrorism, he says after citing main Kurdish movements operating in northeast Syria bordering Turkey .
Mr. Khamenei reiterated his country’s opposition to a possible Turkish military operation in Syria, deeming it “prejudicial” for the region, according to an official statement.
However, the Supreme Leader promised Mr. Erdoğan that Iran would “cooperate” with Turkey in its “fight against terrorism”, while stressing that “terrorists are not limited to a particular group”.
Turkey is seeking to create a 30 kilometer “safe zone” on the border with Syria and hopes to get the green light from Iran and Russia for a new armed intervention in the northwest of the country. “It must be clear to all that there is no place in the region for separatist terrorist movements and their cronies. We will soon continue our fight against terrorist organizations,” warned the Turkish head of state.
” Terrorism [des organisations kurdes] poses a threat to all of us”, but “their withdrawal 30 km from our borders has still not happened”, he continued, referring to the agreement signed in 2019 with Washington and then Moscow.
Ukraine and nuclear
The tripartite summit will be an opportunity for Mr. Erdoğan to meet with Mr. Putin for the first time since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Turkey, a member of NATO, has tried to maintain contact with the two countries, offering to mediate on several occasions.
On the other hand, discussions between Russians and Iranians could focus on the Iranian nuclear issue, say experts.
Russia is taking part in talks that began more than a year ago between Iran and the major powers to revive the 2015 international agreement on Iran’s nuclear program, which would allow the lifting of sanctions against the Islamic Republic in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear activities. These discussions have been stalled since March.
Thursday, during his trip to Israel, Joe Biden signed with Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid a security pact committing the United States to never allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons.
And on Saturday, in Saudi Arabia, Mr. Biden affirmed before an audience of Arab leaders that his country “would not turn away” from the Middle East by leaving “a vacuum that could be filled by China, Russia or Iran”. Remarks condemned by Tehran, which accuses Washington of stoking tensions in the region.