The Russian foreign ministry has announced a new treaty with the Iranian regime. Calling the agreement “timely, but also overdue,” Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated that the accord will, “cover across-the-board multifaceted Russian Iranian ties,” and it, “will formally institutionalize the comprehensive strategic nature of the partnership between Moscow and Tehran.”
Foreign Desk News notes both countries have been subject to prolonged international sanctions and have attempted to mitigate this by expanding cooperation in trade, energy, and technology transfer. Additionally, “the most significant aspect of this agreement will be the acquisition of the Su-35 jets. This multi-role fighter is of modern design and entered service in 2014, intended to be an upgraded derivative of the Su-27. It has been shown to be a capable and efficient weapons system during deployments in Syria and Ukraine.”
The Su-35 will enable the Iranian regime to substantially upgrade its air-fighting capabilities. The Iran Air Force (IRIAF) has a large fleet of aircraft that has long been comprised of an obsolete inventory of domestically produced F-5 copies, pre-Islamic Republic F-4’s and F-14’s, and a few 1990’s era Chinese-made MiG-21s.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told the state-owned TASS News Agency that there has been no determination of the exact date that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi will formalize the agreement.
Since Russia began the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Moscow has turned to Tehran for assistance in munitions procurement. Western sources have accused Iran of supplying ballistic missiles and attack drones to the Russian Army, in exchange for combat aircraft and pilot training.
Foreign Desk News reports Iran has denied providing any weapons that help Russia maintain its fighting capability in Ukraine. The United States has not only refuted this, but it has also accused the Islamic Republic of helping the Russian military build their own drone factory.
On Dec. 7, the two leaders met for five hours at the Kremlin. During the discussions, Putin described Russia’s relationship with Iran as “developing very well.”