Following President Masoud Pezeshkian’s visit to Moscow on January 17, 2025, Iran and Russia signed a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement. The agreement encompasses a broad range of cooperation areas, including political and diplomatic relations, economic and trade partnerships, military and security collaboration, and energy cooperation.
Since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war in February 2022, Russian-Iranian relations have significantly strengthened, particularly in military collaboration. A notable example is the Iranian-made Shahed drones—Known as Geran in Russia—which have played a key role in the war. Reports suggest that Iran has supplied Russia with 6,000 drones and has assisted in setting up local production lines in Russia. In addition to military cooperation, both nations have intensified efforts to counter the effects of international sanctions on their economies. For example, using gold as a method of transaction between the two nations.
The agreement consists of 47 articles, covering multiple dimensions of cooperation. The key aspects are summarized below:
Political and Diplomatic Cooperation
- -Strengthening bilateral relations with a foundation of sovereignty, non-interference, and territorial integrity.
- -Joint efforts to promote a multipolar world order, opposing unipolar dominance.
- -Cooperation in international organizations such as the United Nations, supporting each other’s memberships and positions.
Security and Military Collaboration
- -Joint military exercises, personnel training, naval visits and defense expertise exchange.
- -Intelligence and security cooperation in areas such as counter-terrorism, cyber threats and organized crime.
- -A mutual agreement not to support separatist movements or allow their territories to be used for hostile actions against one another.
Economic and Trade Relations
- -Expansion of trade, investment and industrial collaboration, including infrastructure and energy projects.
- -Focus on developing payment infrastructure, promoting transactions in national currencies and countering unilateral sanctions.
- -Strengthening transport and logistics cooperation, particularly through the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and modernizing transport infrastructure.
Energy Cooperation
- -Collaboration in oil, gas, and nuclear sectors, including joint projects in production, transportation and renewable energy development.
- -Joint efforts in international energy forums such as OPEC+.
- -Addressing logistical challenges related to transporting Russian natural gas to Iran through Azerbaijan.
Implementation and Duration
- -The treaty is valid for 20 years, with automatic five-year extensions unless one party opts out with one year’s notice.
- -Provisions can be amended by mutual consent, and disputes will be resolved through diplomatic negotiations.
One key observation about the agreement is its security provisions. Unlike Russia’s agreement with North Korea, this one does not include mutual defense commitments, indicating Russia’s unwillingness to directly confront Israel or the United States. Additionally, Iran has not recognized Crimea as part of Russia, and the agreement does not mandate such recognition, and more significantly Iran is not obligated under this agreement to support Russian military operations in Ukraine.
Furthermore, military cooperation remains case-specific, requiring separate agreements as situations arise. This highlights the unbinding nature of the agreement, making its effectiveness questionable in practical terms.
In response to the agreement, President Vladimir Putin praised it, emphasizing its potential to increase trade and economic cooperation, which he described as currently insufficient. He also noted that the agreement would help resolve existing obstacles to projects, such as logistical challenges in Russian natural gas transportation to Iran. Additionally, both parties agreed to work on a unified payment system to mitigate the impact of sanctions. However, in practice, the agreement appears to formalize existing cooperation rather than introducing significant new commitments.
The agreement was signed after a brief period following the fall of Assad, a significant strategic blow to both parties. In an effort to mitigate this setback, both countries hope that the agreement will serve as a major breakthrough in their respective foreign policy objectives.
One of the major geopolitical implications of the agreement is its potential impact on US-Russia relations. As US President Donald Trump announced a “maximum pressure” strategy toward Iran, Russia’s growing ties with Iran could complicate negotiations with the United States, especially in light of growing efforts to end the war in Ukraine through a diplomatic dialogue hosted by Saudi Arabia.
Moreover, the agreement may affect Russia’s relationship with the new Syrian government. As Russia seeks to maintain its ties with Syria, closer engagement with Iran could complicate regional dynamics, adding further complexity to its strategic calculus. In addition, the agreement could impact relations between Russia and Gulf states like Saudi Arabia and the UAE, especially when it comes to matters of military alliance between the two states and strengthening Iran’s military capability.
The Iran-Russia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement may be viewed as an important milestone in bilateral relations, but its practical impact remains uncertain. While it provides a formal framework for cooperation in diplomacy, security, trade and energy, key military and strategic commitments are left open-ended.
The agreement may serve as a tool to counter Western sanctions and deepen economic engagement, but its strategic effectiveness is questionable, as it primarily reinforces existing cooperation rather than establishing new binding commitments. Additionally, its implications for Russia’s ties with the United States and Syria could create new diplomatic challenges. Ultimately, the agreement’s success will depend on how both nations navigate geopolitical shifts and regional complexities in the years ahead.
