Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian are set to meet in Moscow on January 17 to finalize and sign a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement, the Kremlin announced on Monday.
The discussions will focus on deepening bilateral ties in areas such as trade, investment, transport, logistics, and humanitarian efforts. The two leaders will also address pressing regional and international issues, according to the Kremlin.
Since the start of the Ukraine war, Russia has strengthened its alliances with nations opposed to the U.S., including Iran and North Korea. The proposed partnership pact is expected to include enhanced defense cooperation, as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov indicated in October.
The U.S. has accused Tehran of supplying short-range ballistic missiles to Moscow for use in the conflict with Ukraine, prompting Washington to impose sanctions on entities allegedly involved in the weapons transfers. Tehran, however, denies providing Russia with missiles.
