Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu arrived in Tehran today, Tuesday, leading a high-level military delegation. Shoigu stated, "Iran is a strategic partner for us, and our military relations are developing vibrantly and positively." The Russian Defense Ministry indicated that Shoigu discussed developments in the Nagorno-Karabakh region with the Iranian chief of staff.
Earlier, the ministry stated that "Shoigu will hold a number of meetings with officials from the Iranian Ministry of Defense." It clarified in a statement that "the visit aims to enhance Russian-Iranian military relations and will be an important step in developing cooperation between the two countries."
Official reception ceremonies were held for the Russian delegation in the main building of the Iranian Armed Forces General Staff, featuring a guard of honor and an orchestra, where Iranian Chief of Staff Mohammad Baqeri welcomed the Russian Defense Minister.
Since the imposition of Western sanctions on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Tehran and Moscow have strengthened their bilateral relations, particularly in the military sector. Last month, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov stated, "Russian military cooperation with Iran will not be subject to geopolitical pressures," following a report that the U.S. had asked Tehran to stop selling drones to Moscow.
