CNN
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Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Iran on Tuesday for his first worldwide trip past the borders of the former Soviet Union since launching his invasion of Ukraine, which successfully ruptured ties with the West.
Putin met with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in Tehran, and with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He additionally met with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei on Tuesday.
“I am very pleased to be on the hospitable Iranian soil…We can boast about record figures in terms of trade growth,” stated Putin in a bilateral assembly with Raisi. “We are strengthening our cooperation on international security issues, making a significant contribution to the settlement of the Syrian conflict.”
Raisi additionally hailed a “significant” dedication to safety cooperation between the 2 international locations, saying the 2 international locations had “good experience” in combating terrorism.
Also on Tuesday, Iran’s nationwide oil firm signed a $40 billion settlement with Russia’s state-run fuel firm Gazprom, in accordance with an announcement from Shana, the information company for Iran’s oil ministry. The deal consists of improvement of Iranian fuel fields and constructing new fuel export pipelines.
Khamenei in the meantime hailed mutual cooperation between Russia and Iran as “deeply beneficial.”
“World events show Iran and Russia’s need for increasing mutual cooperation,” he stated in an announcement.
Referring to Putin’s conflict in Ukraine, Khamenei additionally stated the growth of western safety alliance NATO needed to be “stopped.”
“NATO is a dangerous entity. The West is totally opposed to a strong, independent Russia. If the way is opened for NATO, it will recognize no limits,” Khamenei stated. “If it hadn’t been stopped in Ukraine, it would have later started a similar war in Crimea.”
Russia’s relationship with Iran has alerted Western officers as Putin prepares to ramp up floor offensives in japanese Ukraine following his troops’ seize of the Luhansk area.
Recently declassified US intelligence signifies that Iran is expected to supply Russia with “hundreds” of drones – together with weapons-capable drones – to be used in the conflict in Ukraine, with Iran getting ready to start coaching Russian forces on learn how to function them as early as late July, in accordance with White House officers.
“Russia turning to Iran for the help speaks volumes about the degree to which both nations, for their actions into different areas of the world, have been increasingly isolated by the international community,” the National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications John Kirby advised CNN final week.
The assembly additionally comes amid stalled talks to revive the Iran nuclear deal, whose authentic signatories embody the US, UK, France, China, Russia and Germany.
Robert Malley, the US Special Envoy for Iran, advised CNN on Monday that the probability of reviving the 2015 deal “diminishes by the day.”
Among the dialogue subjects between Putin and Erdogan was the difficulty of grain exports from Ukraine. The Ukrainian authorities has accused Russia of blocking the cargo of greater than 20 million tons of grain.
Putin thanked Erdogan for his efforts to mediate between the 2 nations. “With your mediation, we have moved forward,” he stated. “Not all issues, however, have been resolved. But what was is already good.”
Erdogan stated that diplomatic conversations between the 2 nations have continued.
“It’s a great advantage that we are able to do so,” Erdogan stated, including that in the context of Turkey’s function as a mediator, he’s “confident that Russia’s approach continues to be positive.”
Putin’s go to comes after Erdogan – the chief of NATO member Turkey – repeated his threat to block the ascension of Sweden and Finland to the alliance, after conditionally agreeing to inexperienced mild their bid in June.
“I would like to remind you once again that we will freeze the process if they do not take the necessary steps to fulfill our conditions,” Erdogan stated Monday after a cupboard assembly.
He had lifted his opposition to the growth at a NATO summit final month – a significant diplomatic breakthrough that supplied a blow to Putin.
Ahead of the summit, Iran’s Khamenei warned Erdogan to not begin a army operation in the north of Syria, state information company IRNA additionally reported.
“A military attack in the north of Syria would be to the detriment of Turkey and benefit terrorists,” Khamenei reportedly advised Erdogan in Tehran.
Erdogan has beforehand threatened to launch a brand new army offensive designed to push again Syrian Kurdish fighters belonging to the YPG, which Turkey views as a terrorist group.
“This move would definitely harm Syria, Turkey and the region and it will not create the expected political action by the Syrians,” Khamenei warned.
“The Syrian issue should be resolved through negotiations and Iran, Turkey, Syria and Russia will carry out discussions on this issue,” he added.
Raisi additionally referred to as for overseas forces to go away Syria and blamed instability on the “occupying forces of the US.”
“We believe it is only the Syrian nation who should make a decision about their internal affairs, without the interference of other countries,” he stated.
The solely attainable answer to the Syrian battle is a political one, he stated, including that army motion would worsen the safety scenario.
