Iran Parliament Ratifies 20-Year Strategic Partnership Treaty with Russia

Iran's parliament has ratified a 20-year Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty with Russia, marking a significant deepening of bilateral ties that encompass defense cooperation and economic collaboration. Signed by Presidents Vladimir Putin and Masoud Pezeshkian in January and approved by the Russian legislature in April, the pact includes commitments to joint military exercises and enhanced military-technical cooperation, although it stops short of a mutual defense clause. This partnership emerges amid ongoing tensions related to the Ukraine conflict, with Western accusations that Iran has supplied Russia with missiles and drones, which Tehran denies. Economically, the treaty promotes closer financial integration through direct interbank cooperation and supports trade growth, reinforced by a recently enacted free trade agreement between Iran and the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union that reduces tariffs. Both nations aim to mitigate the impact of Western sanctions by leveraging this strategic alliance. The agreement signals a strengthened geopolitical alignment and expanded economic interdependence between Iran and Russia.