Iran’s ‘Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement’ With Russia
Dr. Devender Kumar
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian recently visited Tajikistan and Russia to sign a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement” before the newly elected American president assumes office on 20 January 2025. Iran has initiated a new policy of bettering ties with neighbouring states and strengthening cooperation with Central Asia- where China and Russia are dominant players.
The meeting with Russia is to determine the contours of the global and regional agenda between both and mark implications on the security of Ukraine, Israel, and the Western bloc. The visit aims to establish cooperation on defence, security, economics, science, industry, trade, agriculture, and culture. Both Iran and Russia helped each other in military operations in Syria and Iraq and are partnering in Caucuses.
Simultaneously North Korea, an East Asian country, has become part of the rising ideological partnership with Russia. It signed a ‘Comprehensive Strategic Partnerships’ and sent soldiers to Russia to Russia in the ongoing Ukraine-Russia War. Iran has become the second country to have a ‘Comprehensive Strategic Partnership’ with Russia. A common factor of cooperation is the ‘military’ cooperation. However, to what extent Iran will commit to Russia militarily despite having a common enemy like the US, is yet to be seen.
There are five reasons that the partnership between Iran, Russia, and North Korea has repercussions on three geographies such as Central Asia, West Asia, and South East Asia
First, Iran and Russia are part of the anti-American axis to counter Western sanctions. During the Central Asia Summit last year, the current Iranian president and Putin shared their ‘entente views’ concerning the US during their first meeting. With Russia’s war with Ukraine and the backlash from the US and EU- Moscow is trying to better its ties with the Global South and Global East. President Putin even invited Iran for a BRICS meeting in Kazan, Russia. Since then, both have strengthened engagement and accelerated projects on drones, missiles, technology energy, gas, electricity, desalination, construction, etc.
Second, it is a win-win partnership for both Tehran and Moscow’s support against Israel and wants Iranian military help against Ukraine. Iran has already supplied Shahed drones and ballistic missiles to Russia. And from 2019, Iran has been willing to get ‘Russian S400’ and ‘Su-35 fighter aircraft’.
Third, a rapprochement is likely to upset the regional dynamics in West Asia as defence and security cooperation between Russia and Iran will impact Saudi and its allies such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman as they compete for influence in the region. Moreover, such a push may bring these states closer to the US and Israel─ the UAE is already partnering with both (Israel and the US) under the I2U2 hence the Palestinian issue may not be able to hold the resistance against Israel in the backdrop of militarily strong Iran vis-a-vis the Gulf region.
Fourth, if Iran gets Russian military support, it will strengthen its proxies such as Hezbollah (Lebanon), Houthis (Yemen), and Shia militia in Iraq and Syria and give rise to non-state actors in the West Asian region. Such a move will also disrupt the energy markets worldwide. Since oil prices are controlled by OPEC. Saudi Arabia is a major player in this organization; therefore the growing partnership between Iran and Russia may push the Saudis to produce more oil which will harm both (Russia and Iran) as they sell oil at discounted prices due to sanctions.
Fifth, as long as the US continues to consider itself as the guarantor of ‘free world security’ it will continue to have tussle with these countries. Little did it know that both Iran and Russia have good ties with North Korea which has culminated in ‘Axis of Anger’ or ‘anti-Americanism’ since America sees them as a challenge against its movement of democracy after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Many of the US agencies such as Freedom House accuse these countries of not providing ‘freedom’ to their fellow citizens which is an internal issue but the US considers these states as working to reduce American influence worldwide. Hence the world is being divided into two blocs i.e. Western world led by the US, and its allies (EU and G7), and the Ant-American Axis.
President Trump has assumed office this month and has vowed to end the Ukraine War. He is the one who withdrew from the JCPOA with Iran; now there is a higher possibility of changes concerning Russia and Iran's position in regional politics.
Hence the ‘comprehensive strategic partnership’ is a defensive step against the common enemy (the US). Indian policymakers need to closely monitor developments that can potentially impact its energy needs as well standing in the BRICS+ as both being members of the grouping.
Dr. Devender Kumar is Assistant Professor at the Center of Excellence for Geopolitics and International Studies (CEGIS), REVA University.
