The Russian Foreign Ministry stated on Tuesday that Russia and Iran will accelerate work on a "new major trade agreement" between the two countries. The ministry did not disclose the framework of the agreement, which comes amid growing political, commercial, and military relations between Moscow and Tehran, a development that the United States views with concern.
Russia's statement indicated that the foreign ministers of both countries agreed in a phone call on Monday to expedite the work on the agreement, which was "at a high level of readiness." Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a five-hour discussion in the Kremlin with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.
Similar to North Korea, whose leader Kim Jong Un met with Putin in far eastern Russia in September, Iran is a clear adversary of the United States and could supply Moscow with military equipment for its war in Ukraine, where Russia has widely utilized Iranian drones.
Last month, the Kremlin stated that Russia and Iran are working to develop their relations "including in the field of military-technical cooperation," but refrained from commenting on the White House's suggestion that Iran might be considering supplying Russia with ballistic missiles.
Iran is the main supporter of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas). Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with Putin by phone on Sunday and expressed his "strong rejection" of the "dangerous" cooperation between Russia and Iran. Iranian authorities have stated that military cooperation with Russia is expanding daily. Last month, Iran announced that it had completed arrangements to supply Russia with Su-35 fighter jets, Mi-28 attack helicopters, and Yak-130 pilot training aircraft.
