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Concern in the West: Russia to sign strategic agreement with Iran

Moscow announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin will host his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian, on Friday. This comes after reports revealed secret visits by Iranian officials to Russia in an effort to secure the Kremlin’s support for Iran's dangerous nuclear program.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) and his Iranian peer Masoud Pezeshkian.Maxim Shemetov / AFP.

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Russia President Vladimir Putin will host his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian in Moscow on Friday to sign a strategic partnership agreement, the Kremlin said Monday.

Moscow added that, during the meeting, the two leaders will discuss ways to deepen their relations in various areas, including trade, investment, transport and logistics.

Iranian officials' secret visits to Russia

The announcement of the agreement, which has raised concerns in the West, comes amid heightened tensions as Iran nears the development of nuclear weapons. This follows a report from the British newspaper The Times revealing that, in recent weeks, Tehran has been secretly sending representatives to Russia to bolster its military capabilities.

The report by The Times highlights that Ali Larijani, a senior adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has made several visits to Russia in recent weeks, seeking Kremlin support for Iran's nuclear program and air defense systems.

According to multiple reports, it should be noted that Israel successfully inflicted significant damage on Iran's Russian-supplied anti-aircraft defense systems during a counteroffensive in late 2024.

As a Western intelligence source told The Times, meetings between Larijani and Russian officials in Moscow are also frequently held to ensure the continued supply of missiles and drones to Russia, which relies on them for its war in Ukraine.

The source added that there is concern in the West that Russia is willing to cross long-standing "red lines" regarding Iran's nuclear program.

The report from the British newspaper also comes at a time when Iran was preparing to resume negotiations with European powers on its nuclear program.

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