LONDON/DUBAI, July 19 (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin will go to Tehran on Tuesday for talks with Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Kremlin chief’s first trip outside the former Soviet Union since Moscow’s Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine.
In Tehran, Putin may also maintain his first face-to-face assembly since the invasion with a NATO chief, Turkey’s Tayyip Erdogan, to debate a deal geared toward permitting the resumption of Ukraine’s Black Sea grain exports in addition to peace in Syria.
Putin’s trip, which comes simply days after U.S. President Joe Biden visited Israel and Saudi Arabia, sends a powerful message to the West about Moscow’s plans to forge nearer strategic ties with Iran, China and India within the face of the Western sanctions.
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“The contact with Khamenei is very important,” Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s overseas coverage adviser, instructed reporters in Moscow. “A trusting dialogue has developed between them on the most important issues on the bilateral and international agenda.”
“On most issues, our positions are close or identical.”
BOTH SANCTIONED
For Iran, additionally chafing below Western financial sanctions and at loggerheads with the United States over Tehran’s nuclear programme and a spread of different points, Putin’s go to is well timed.
Its clerical leaders are eager to strengthen strategic relations with Russia within the face of an rising U.S.-backed Gulf Arab-Israeli bloc that would tilt the Middle East steadiness of energy additional away from Iran.
“Considering the evolving geopolitical ties after the Ukraine war, Tehran tries to secure Moscow’s support in its confrontation with Washington and its regional allies,” stated a senior Iranian official, who requested to not be named.
Emboldened by excessive oil costs since the Ukraine war, Iran is betting that with Russia’s help it may strain Washington to supply concessions for the revival of a 2015 nuclear deal.
However, Russia’s elevated tilt in direction of Beijing in current months has considerably diminished Iran’s crude exports to China – a key supply of revenue for Tehran since U.S. President Donald Trump reimposed sanctions in 2018.
In May, Reuters reported that Iran’s crude exports to China have fallen sharply as Beijing favoured closely discounted Russian barrels, leaving nearly 40 million barrels of Iranian oil saved on tankers at sea in Asia and searching for patrons.
Ahead of Putin’s arrival, the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) and Russian gasoline producer Gazprom (GAZP.MM) signed a memorandum of understanding value round $40 billion. learn extra
SYRIA, UKRAINE
High on the agenda in Tuesday’s trilateral talks that may also embody Turkey will likely be efforts to cut back violence in Syria, the place Erdogan has threatened to launch extra army operations to increase 30-km (20-mile) deep “safe zones” alongside the border. Moscow and Tehran each oppose any such motion by Turkey.
“Maintaining the territorial integrity of Syria is very important, and any military attack in northern Syria will definitely harm Turkey, Syria and the entire region, and benefit terrorists,” Khamenei instructed Erdogan. learn extra
Any Turkish operation in Syria would assault the Kurdish YPG militia, a key a part of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) that controls giant components of north Syria and is regarded by Washington as an essential ally towards Islamic State.
A senior Turkish official stated Turkey’s deliberate operation can be mentioned in Tehran, as would experiences that Russia and the Kurds have been appearing collectively in some areas of Syria.
Russia and Iran are Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s strongest backers, whereas Turkey helps anti-Assad insurgents.
Putin, who turns 70 this yr, has made few overseas journeys lately because of the COVID pandemic after which the Ukraine disaster. His final trip past the former Soviet Union was to China in February.
His bilateral talks with Erdogan will focus on a plan to get Ukrainian grain exports transferring once more.
Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and the United Nations are anticipated to signal a deal later this week geared toward resuming the transport of grain from Ukraine throughout the Black Sea. learn extra
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Additional reporting by Orhan Coskun in Ankara; Writing by Guy Faulconbridge and Parisa Hafezi, Editing by Gareth Jones
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
