Vladimir Putin will meet with his Turkish and Iranian counterparts during his first trip outside the former Soviet Union since the Ukraine war.
Putin’s visit comes only days after US President Joe Biden’s trips to Israel and Saudi Arabia, sending a strong message to the West about Moscow’s intentions to develop tighter strategic connections. The meeting is the first one that Iran’s ultra-conservative President Ebrahim Raisi has hosted since entering office last year.
The trilateral summit is allegedly focused on Syria as part of the “Astana peace process” to end more than the 11-year crisis in the Arab nation.
All three countries are active in Syria, with Iran and Russia supporting President Bashar al-Assad and Turkey helping rebels.
“The contact with Khamanei is important”: Putin’s foreign policy advisor
“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 the terrorists.”
“The contact with Khamenei is very important,” said Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s foreign policy advisor.
“A trusting dialogue had developed between them on the most important issues of the bilateral and international agenda. On most issues, our positions are close or identical,” he added.
Tehran’s clerical leaders are eager to fortify their strategic ties with Russia in response to a developing US-backed Gulf Arab-Israeli axis that could shift the Middle East balance of power farther away from Iran.
Iran can exert pressure on the United States to make concessions in order to revive a 2015 nuclear agreement with the help of Russia.
Iran’s crude shipments to China have been a significant source of income for Tehran since former US President Donald Trump reimposed sanctions on Iran in 2018. However, this has changed in recent months due to Russia’s greater tilt towards Beijing. ()
